Why Should We Care About What They Say?
by imagine.believe
Summary: Moving to the city was wrong: her nose was too sensitive. She suffers. So, at twenty, Raelyn decided to get back to her roots and moved to be a farmer for Oak Tree Town. At that time, Klaus began to give up the thought of marriage: he is too old, he thought. He suffers. So, at thirty-five, he threw himself to his work. They are an unlikely couple... right? Picture isn't mine
1. She Says: It's A New Beginning

**_Hi everyone! imaginebelieve comes back with another story; this time, it will be on Story of Seasons! Broadly speaking, I am very pleased with the game system and the translation. Feels like BokuMono grows up with all of us, too!_**

**_So... I have seen the bachelors (including Cam, who almost tempted me from Ash when I played ToTT) and decided my pick on Klaus, the oldest bachelor of the row. He is different from Soseki, as far as I know and he has been an interesting character. (I thought I would have a hard time of picking between Klaus, Raeger, and Nadi... but 1 full year of the game and I am glad of my choice)_**

**_I know that many people drop Klaus from their choice because he mentions the age gap too much while he doesn't look THAT old. In his defense, presented by yours truly, I do think considerable age gap is one HUGE problem in romantic relationships and we never knows how the MC reacts every time Klaus brought that up, so... yeah. Some felt disturbed when he "cursed" 'idiot' in one of the flower events (no more spoilers for those who are not aware yet), but given the circumstances (I saw it, of course), I am GLAD he said idiot or else I'm questioning his affection (or whether he has emotions)... and NO guys I am not a shipper of abusive relationships in any sense of abuse (besides the Japan script was bakayarou, quite harsh, so I think XSeed translates it pretty accurately to 'idiot' rather than mere 'stupid'). Can't go any further without further spoiler, I'd suggest you see the screenshots for the event in question if you are curious (There is on mariethecrocheter tumblr page)_**

**_I think Klaus is one of the most realistic bachelors in the title, with considerable depth in his personality, and I hope this story can do him justice._**

**_Sorry for my long rant people. I just feel like I need to defend Klaus._**

**_P.S.: I like Nadi, too, but for some reasons his impression on me wasn't as striking as Neil although it is claimed that Nadi is the tsundere bachelor of this particular title._**

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own the franchise and the character except for my OC. I have the plot (most of it, since I will be picking some scenes from the games) and the willingness to write this story, of course._

* * *

The young woman looked at the vast expanse of grass in front of her. She closed her eyes and somehow the voices she tried to bury deep within her resurface… again.

_"Doggy! Doggy!"_

_"Rae is the little doggy~"_

She winced. No matter how many years had passed, the memory still stung her heart.

_Should I?_ she hesitated.

Taking a deep breath, she finally reached to slip off the mask covering her nose and mouth. She exhaled and took another breath with a mixture of anticipation and worry.

It smelled so… light.

Maybe the decision to leave the city behind in favor of the countryside was right, after all.

Raelyn walked with renewed vigor and lightened steps towards the town. Oak Tree Town; she never heard of the town before this, actually.

Perhaps that's a good sign. She could really start over, from scratch, in this town.

Finally, she made it to the place she was directed to in her acceptance form: the Guild. Taking another deep breath, relishing in the freshness and lightness of the scent of countryside, Raelyn knocked on the door.

"Please come in!" replied a voice from inside.

The pinkette opened the door and found a woman standing inside. She was tall, clad in a simple yet elegant blue-and-white dress with long sleeves and high collar. She smiled. "You must be Raelyn Forrester," she said. "I am Veronica."

Raelyn smiled and bowed politely. "Nice to meet you."

"So how do you find this place so far?"

"It smells nice," she replied without any further thought. She realized it a moment later and covered her mouth in slight embarrassment. However, Veronica didn't seem to mind that at all. "I guess it would feel that way for people from the city," she said with a sympathetic tone.

Raelyn laughed softly, trying to cover her embarrassment.

Veronica was both amused and impressed by this young girl. Actually, the decision of picking her from numerous applicants was a bit of a gamble; this girl was twenty—making her the youngest applicant for the position. However, she could feel her determination through the application. At the very least, she had enough guts to apply. Veronica thought she might just take the chance with this young girl.

They sorted out some paper works as Veronica told her briefly about the town. After a while, Veronica declared that they were ready to go.

"Um… where?" Raelyn asked sheepishly. Nevertheless, she followed the guild leader out from the building.

"To Madam Eda's place," Veronica replied kindly. "She will mentor you through the basics of farming."

When she was a child, the sight of her mother and aunt working on the farm back in her hometown was an everyday thing, but she did nothing much except for feeding the animal and watering... some actual practice would do her good, she thought.

"I see…"

"Madam Eda is the most experienced farmer we have around," Veronica explained further. "I am sure you can benefit much from her experience."

Just as they were about to leave the town—apparently the farms were located outside of the town—Raelyn's nose caught another scent. She raised her head slightly and met a pair of striking golden eyes. She opened her mouth slightly, unsure as to what to say.

The man in front of her was tall and lean, with raven black hair and sharp eyes. He wore a set of green suit and golden cravat above white shirt, black trousers and a pair of knee-high dark brown boots. Very attractive, Raelyn thought briefly, but above all that… he smelled nicer than most of the men she had come across.

"Good day, Madam Veronica," he greeted before meeting her eyes again. He smiled. "And I believe you are the new farmer who are going to stay here… Miss Raelyn, am I correct?"

Raelyn blinked for several times before realizing that he was actually talking to her. She immediately bowed, a bit too deeply thanks to her nervousness. "O-oh! Yes! Yes, I am Raelyn! Nice to meet you!"

That man smiled. "I am Klaus," he introduced himself. "See you around, Miss Raelyn."

Raelyn held her breath, as if the action could make his scent—whatever it was—stayed.

They parted ways and Veronica brought her to Eda. The latter was an elderly woman, as old as Raelyn's own grandmother, with a rather plump build. She showed her the room she would be staying in until her own farm was ready, and Raelyn put her bag down.

"Your training will start tomorrow, dearie," she told her.

Raelyn nodded.

_OK_, she told herself. _This is my new beginning._

* * *

_Her own new beginning..._

_Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review ^^_

**_About the OC: Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you my newest OC: Raelyn Forrester! As you might or might not have guessed, if you read my previous stories on ANB, she is the daughter of Neil and Reine. But no, I do not make this as a continuation of UTW, COOH, or any of my NeilxReine story... for this story's purpose, Neil and Reine met in Echo Town... which is why I put a slight reference to the said title._**


	2. He Says: She's Too Young

_Hey everyone, thanks for the kind reviews! Also many thanks to those following and/or favoriting this ^^_

* * *

He twirled the reaction tube in his hand slowly, watching the greenish liquid moving around in the constraint of the glass apparatus. He put his nose nearer to its tip.

_Hm… it is still too strong_, he thought. _Perhaps I should wait a few more hours._

Putting the tube back into the wooden rack, he decided that this was a good time for him to take a break. He got up from the chair and stretched his body.

The scent around his working table was too much after some time. Klaus opened a drawer and reached for a bottle of coffee beans—an old trick he learned very early in his career. After inhaling the neutralizing scent of coffee beans, he stretched his back.

"Maybe I should go for a walk…" he muttered to himself.

He turned off his Bunsen burner and walked out from his house. As he did, Iris also walked out from her house and noticed him. "Nose block?" she asked good-naturedly.

"No, just waiting for the scent to change," he replied. "How about you? Writer's block?"

Iris chuckled wryly and nodded. "It gets infuriating at times."

"I guess so…"

"And my editor keeps asking me to move out from this town."

At that point, they were walking side by side to the central part of the town. Klaus was impressed on how this town didn't change much ever since he moved here after completing his studies. There were some new people, but the ambience didn't change. On the downside, perhaps the economy of this town was too slow; despite being a trading town, there was only one trader who came regularly. Some other traders came by sometimes, but never staying for long. This had been the concern of not just the guild master, but almost everyone in the town.

Klaus didn't know who brought up the idea of inviting more farmers to this town. He knew that there were some good places along the hill and mountain part that were suitable for farming. Eda encouraged the idea, too, which was why the three—now four—new people coming by. So far, they had been quite… an interesting bunch, quoting Iris.

The first to come by was Giorgio, the flower-beauty-obsessed man. He had been a farmer before, but looking for a better plot for his flowers, or so he heard. To no one's surprise, he became fast friends with Marian.

The second was Elise who came from a line of wealthy farmer. She turned a plot of forest near the town into mansion and a huge farm. She showed the townspeople around when the mansion was done and it was received with mixed reactions; some in awe of the grandness, others saw her action as something of arrogance. Klaus? He didn't think much about it, not that he often saw the little miss, anyway.

Then there was Fritz, who was recommended by Raeger. Fritz was his classmate when studying professional cooking. He had had a few business failures and was on the brink of being declared bankrupt, so Veronica agreed to give Fritz a try out to be a farmer in the town, placing him next to Giorgio who had more experience.

Hopefully they could do their job well.

Iris' speech suddenly halted and she asked. "Oh, isn't she the newest farmer?"

Klaus' head perked up and he saw the new girl walking into the town with a woven basket in her hand.

Yes, the latest—and the last—farmer of this town: Raelyn. Since she just came four days ago, no one really knew her. This was her first time dropping by to the town ever since she came as well. "Yes, she is."

Iris pulled at his sleeve and they walked towards the new girl. The latter noticed them and bowed politely. "Hello…"

"Hi!" Iris replied cheerfully. "You are the new farmer, right? I'm Iris! Nice to meet you!"

The girl simply smiled.

"You are currently training with Madam Eda, right?" Klaus asked.

She nodded and beamed into a smile. "She is very kind."

"You're staying with her?"

"Yes, for the time being."

"That's good…" Iris commented. "Sometimes I get worried about her. She's still managing a farm on her age."

The girl furrowed her brow and half-pursed her lips together. "Yeah…"

"She seems to be in a good health, in the last festival," Klaus joined in. "But I did hear about her hip."

"Oh, really?" the young girl asked. "Then I shouldn't let her carry heavy stuff!"

"Yes, you should not," he agreed.

They chatted for a little bit more before the young girl excused herself. They bade goodbye to each other, and he continued walking with Iris.

"Her hair is very nice…" Iris gushed. "I love the color, too…"

"Is that the first thing you notice about her?"

"Of course,"

Klaus recalled the young girl's hair, the color of blooming cherry blossom, which was uncommon even in this town. It was indeed quite a conspicuous color, but not displeasing at the very least.

"…but I think she is a very caring person." Iris added, snapping him back to their conversation.

"Yes, I think so, too," Klaus replied without much thought.

Iris chuckled. "You know, Klaus, she is a much better candidate than the other female farmer… Elise?"

"Hm? Better candidate for what, exactly?"

"For ro~mance," Iris sang teasingly. "Klaus and Raelyn, sitting on a tree~"

"Shush, she's too young!" he chided her.

"She looks young, but Mistel does, too…"

"I don't think she's even twenty," Klaus commented.

"Twenty this year," someone joined in.

Klaus and Iris turned around and found Marian, the town's doctor. He came a few years ago and had blended in quite well thanks to his service, although some were still a bit uncomfortable with… his life choices. Not that anyone would openly judge, Klaus thought, not even Mrs. Margot.

Marian smiled. "Raelyn Forrester, right?" he said. "From what I have, she will be twenty soon."

"Leaving her family near her birthday? That's quite something…" Iris said. "I'm sure Madam Veronica would not mind to wait."

"She's been living by herself in the city before this, anyway," Marian told them.

Klaus found himself smiling. "She's quite admirable."

He didn't realize that Iris and Marian were listening to him. Iris' dark eyes glinted playfully. "You are impressed?" she asked.

"That _is_ quite a reason to be impressed, _Miss_ Iris," Klaus retorted, making sure he emphasized the words 'is' and 'Miss'.

Marian laughed. "Well, well, the more I see both of you the more I'm sure you guys are not an item."

"Good," Klaus said. "Because we are not."

"I know," the doctor replied quickly. "It has a different vibe."

Klaus sighed in relief. For all his quirkiness, at least Marian understood something better than many others. However, he didn't see what was coming next from the doctor. "You and the young Raelyn, however, are different."

"Pardon?"

"I've never see you with her, of course, but I am dying to."

"She's too young," he said again for the second time in less than one-hour time frame. "I'm too old for her."

* * *

_Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review ^^_

**_A/N: For those of you who didn't know, sorry to burst the bubble, the doctor is a guy._**


	3. She Says: It's Nothing

_Hi guys, thanks for favoriting/following and reviewing! Reading to them makes me gung-ho for writing more hahahaha_

_J-Ninja421: perhaps the faint line below his eyes are meant to denote that he's older than the rest of the bachelors? But, yes, agree, he doesn't appear to be very old. There are estimates, of course, but I never see any canon statement on his age hahaha. For the purpose of the story, though, I made them to be 15 years apart._

_fantasyanimegirl283: aww thanks for the compliment! I'm glad if this made your day ^^ and tbh I was shocked when I found out Marian is a guy._

_and yeah, I felt the same way too guys: Klaus is definitely NOT TOO OLD DAMNNN but oh well... that's him being... too self-conscious?_

* * *

This would be her second time, first while she was still training with Madam Eda, going to town. Her turnips had ripened just at the right time to be sold—Asche was in town.

_I hope I can build a coop… soon._

Before she went, however, she dropped by Eda's place. "Madam Eda!" she called out as she knocked on her door.

The elderly woman appeared a few moments later. "Yes, dearie?"

"I'm going to town now," she told her, beaming. "Anything I can get you? Or do you want me to ship things for you?"

"That's very sweet of you," she smiled gratefully. "But, I'm good."

"Oh, okay," Raelyn said. "Bye, Madam Eda!"

"Have fun, Raelyn," she said. "Just enjoy your time in the town."

Raelyn gave her a smile before turning back to the road leading to the town. Truth to be told, she was grateful that her farm was far away in the mountain trail; the air was so much fresher up here than in the town (although the scent of the town itself was much better than the city). Then, she didn't need to be afraid of people swarming into her lot. It had gotten better with constant practice throughout the years, but Raelyn still valued her 'alone time' very much; in that respect, she was just like her father, just like her eyes mirrored his, except for their shape.

She hauled her harvest and started her trail to the town. The first time she did that, she ended up with sore muscles throughout the body and Madam Eda had kindly eased her sufferings with some light massage and ointments. However, things were getting easier as she did it more often. Of course, upgrading her tools (after soooo much efforts) helped, too.

* * *

Once she reached the Trade Depot, the pinkette walked towards Jonas. "Hi, Mr. Jonas!" she greeted. "So… can you show me what's on demand?"

"Yes, sure, Miss Raelyn," the man pulled out his paper.

_Seems like turnip isn't on the high demand side… well, this is spring,_ she thought rather despondently.

Despite that, Raelyn found soon enough that she pocketed quite an amount of cash ever since her move into the farm after selling all of her turnips to Asche; fresh crops fetched higher price, no brainer.

Raelyn Forrester hummed with her steps much lighter after she finished her business in the Trade Depot and she closed her eyes, trying to familiarize herself with the scent of this town. It sounded a little bit creepy, or freak, but if she closed her eyes and focused her attention enough when wind passed, she could smell the scent of people nearby her. She learned early in her life, people's scent didn't change much: her mother always smelled of fresh grass and cherry blossoms, while her father's more like hays and mint… then, there were her brothers whose scent reminded her of wet ground after the rain.

A particularly strong wind blew across her and a foreign scent stuck in her nose. Raelyn immediately covered her nose and mouth with her hand while pressing her other hand against her skirt.

"Are you all right?" a voice asked gently.

The young woman opened her eyes and looked up slowly. "Mr. Klaus…?" she murmured in confusion. She had caught a glimpse of his scent when they first met and she remembered the impression of that scent left on her—a good one, to be honest. Then… why his scent was different this time?

"Miss Raelyn…?"

His voice snapped her out from her trance. "Ah, yes!" she said, while another thought furiously rammed her head:

_OMG this is like the second time we met and I'm always spacing out he must think I'm weird!_

Raelyn took a deep breath and gave him a mild bow. Somehow, something in Klaus prompted her to be… polite—and that's not her mother's rather strict upbringing. "I'm fine, thank you for your concern."

The older man relaxed into a smile. "It is quite all right, I just thought you had a dizzy spell back then."

_Dizzy spell?_ she thought. _I'm not technically dizzy…_

"I rarely see you in town."

Raelyn blinked a few times before finally saying out her response: "Oh, well, you see… my farm is on the mountain side."

He put his hand to his chin and nodded. "Of course…" his voice was low and soft. A moment later, he showed her his golden eyes again. "Say, have you had a chance to tour the town?"

Raelyn immediately shook her head. Since everything she needed was placed strategically at the central and eastern part of the town, she never bothered to wander to the western side. Even so, she hadn't visited _all_ buildings in the parts of town she visited.

"If so, I'd be happy to give you a tour."

"Now?" she asked almost immediately.

"Well, I don't see why not," he replied kindly.

Actually, Raelyn didn't mean to take on his offer very soon; her response was just rhetoric, so to speak. However, she didn't have the willingness to back down lest she was being seen was indecisive; she had nothing to do after this, anyway.

So, the two people walked together, with Raelyn about two steps behind Klaus, past the Carpenter's shop. Then, they started from the western side of the town, the part of town she never stepped a foot on.

"This is the antique shop, where Mistel and Iris live and work," he told her as they climbed the steps. "The house over there belongs to Miss Agate, but she is currently away for a trip. The next house belongs to Mr. Jonas… perhaps you have been acquainted with Lutz and Mrs. Margot?"

"I've seen Lutz once or twice at the mountain trail," Raelyn replied. "Mrs. Margot… no, I don't think so."

"Well, she is busy with running her household," Klaus admitted before glancing at quite an ostentatious house after Mr. Jonas'. "This house belongs to Dr. Marian," he explained. "He mostly stays home on Sundays, his day off."

Raelyn was in the progress of digesting what Klaus had been saying when she finally realized. "_He_?" her voice rose almost one full octave higher. "Dr. Marian is a _he_?"

Unsurprisingly, Klaus was not surprised by her shock. "Yes, Dr. Marian is a man… although he prefers to style himself in such a way that might cause you to construe him as a woman."

Raelyn's face paled. "I refer to her… er, him, as a she all this time…"

"I am sure that wouldn't anger him," Klaus assured her. "In fact, he would be most displeased when he is reminded of him being a man… biologically speaking."

"Er… okay…" it was then Raelyn noticed the last house on the street they were walking on, the one right next to the stairs that would lead her back to the central part of the town. "And whose house would that be?" she asked, pointing at the building she was referring to.

"Ah, that would be my house," Klaus replied.

They walked towards his house while Raelyn noticed that unlike most—if not all—houses she encountered, his house had another strong scent besides bricks and cement: a mixture of flowers and herbs. Finally unable to contain her curiosity, she braved herself to say: "Mr. Klaus, can I ask you something?"

"You have asked me one question, but of course you can ask another."

"What… is your occupation?"

She could see that Klaus' lips twitched slightly to form a smile, a very faint one she wouldn't notice unless she really paid attention to it… but why the heck she did?

"Why the curiosity over it, Miss Raelyn?"

"It's… nothing," she regretted asking him that. "I'm sorry if my question makes you uncomfortable."

"No, no, no, you certainly didn't," he answered back quickly. "I am just slightly amused by what seems to be your curiosity on me."

"Well…"

Finally sensing her undiminishing nervousness, Klaus added. "I am a perfumer."

"Huh?"

"A more accurate term is a 'scenter', though, since I don't just make perfumes. I mix scents for various other purposes such as aromatherapy oils, room freshener… those kind of things."

Another thing Raelyn had inherited from her mother: curiosity that was hard to be sated. Taking his answer as a permission to ask another question, this time she did it with less hesitation. "Are you working on a new scent right now?"

He chuckled. "Yes, I do," he said. "If you are so interested, perhaps next time I would show you my work station?"

Raelyn grinned. She had never met a perfumer—scenter, whatever—in her life, so she was delighted at the thought of looking around his work station.

"Good day, both of you,"

Raelyn turned around. "Hello, Miss Iris,"

Iris eyed them carefully. "Hmm… did I happen to interrupt something?" she asked with a playful, yet still gentle smile.

"No," Klaus replied even without batting an eyelid. "Can I help you, Iris?"

_Iris._ Raelyn, of course, noticed that Klaus had used honorifics in addressing most of the townspeople… but not Iris. She was simply 'Iris'.

"Yeah," Raelyn joined in, suddenly not feeling to finish the rest of the tour. "It's nothing, Miss Iris… I'll be on my way."

* * *

_Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

_Thanks for reading ^^_

_Please rate and review! ^^_


	4. He Says: That's All That Matters

**_Quick Update: Sorry for the mishap!_**

_Hey guys! Thanks for reviewing, favoriting and following this story! ^^_

_fantasyanimegirl283: yeah! I was totally referring to that in-game expression of his lol ^^ glad you caught up on that!_

* * *

Having an afternoon walk around the town was a routine for both Klaus and Iris for different reasons: Klaus to rest his nose and Iris to take a breather before going back to her script. Klaus enjoyed the novelist's company; sometimes she would tell him how her story was going or even asked for some inputs which he would gladly give, if he had any. However, this afternoon Iris seemed to be thinking of something else than her script.

"What should I do this year, hm…?"

Spring Fashion Show; Iris never missed to participate in the fashion show and proved her excellent sense of fashion over and over again. It seemed to Klaus that Iris could be an excellent wardrobe coordinator if she was ever bored with her job as a novelist.

They were just walking past the guild when Klaus noticed someone walking out from the restaurant. For reasons he couldn't fathom, her head perked up just as her foot touched the ground off from the steps and she turned ninety degrees to face them.

"Good afternoon, Miss Raelyn," he greeted amiably.

The young woman bowed down. "Good afternoon, Mr. Klaus, Miss Iris."

Unlike other days, Iris didn't immediately greet the farmer back; _must've been because of the upcoming fashion show_, he thought. Klaus gave the blonde a slight nudge to her side to pull her out from her trance and only then she noticed Raelyn, who had shown a slight discomfort and awkwardness.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to ignore you," Iris apologized sincerely. "It's just that I've been thinking of what should I put together for the upcoming fashion show."

"…Fashion show?"

_Right, she's new here,_ Klaus noted to himself. "It's held every spring and fall," he told her. "Iris is a regular contestant."

The pinkette's mouth formed a small circle and she nodded.

"Why don't you become my model?"

Klaus and Raelyn both looked at Iris, whose face suddenly brightened up. Iris approached Raelyn and smiled at her. "I suddenly have an idea of what I'm going to show when I look at you!"

"Me?" the younger woman squeaked nervously. "But, I…"

"Please, Raelyn?" Iris smiled sweetly.

Klaus wondered who could ever resist that smile of hers.

* * *

Fashion Show would be one of the few times the town would be filled with visitors, either contestants or simply fashionistas that heard the news about the festival. Klaus remembered the theme of this particular show would be Long Dresses for Spring/Summer.

He stood at the side of the lane that would be used for the catwalk together with Mistel and Marian, the latter seemed to be completely fired up to see this season's lineup. "I'm sure Iris would put together another wonderful display!" he chortled amidst the noise from the crowd. "I heard she managed to convince Raelyn to be her model?"

"Yes, she did," Klaus replied. "I remember Iris being completely enamored by her hair."

"Aaah, yes… rose hair is quite a thing around here. She's a pretty one," the doctor commented. "She just needs to take care of her skin more lovingly. Farm work is rough."

"I can imagine that…"

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Spring Fashion Fiesta!" Veronica's voice boomed through the speakers, completely drowning out Klaus' voice. The guild master then proceeded to introduce the contestants and the judge, before announcing that the judging time would commence soon.

The first model wore a long bright green dress with yellow flower ornaments on the shoulder area. Del Cossa praised the elegance but he didn't seem to be thoroughly impressed by the outfit. The second entry wore a bright blue dress with clouds pattern on it, which Del Cossa found to be "playing safe and plain".

Then, it was Iris'—or rather, Raelyn's—turn. No one said a thing when the farmer appeared on the lane with her dress. Her dress was made from rainbow silk, giving it a white color overall but turned into the faintest shade of the seven rainbow colors under strong light. While the previous dresses were sleeveless, this dress had long sleeves instead, detached from the body of the dress, which were made from white organza that gave a faint outline of her arms. Her hair was let loose, allowing the wavy tresses to hang freely on her back. Its pink color, reminder of blooming cherry blossoms, accentuated the dress while keeping the theme of blooming spring.

When Raelyn reached the end of the lane, she spread her arms and revealed that her sleeves were styled after the eastern kimono. She then spun around, allowing the dress to show its various colors much to everyone's amazement. Midway through the turning, she slipped and fell. However, no one realized that it was an accident because they were so stunned by the dress—how the skirt spread on the floor and displayed its rainbow colors under the light—and when Raelyn covered her face in embarrassment they—even Del Cossa—thought it was part of the scripted pose.

"Bravo! Marvelous!" he clapped as Raelyn hurriedly stood up. "This is Art with capital A!"

* * *

No one was surprised when Victoria announced Iris to be the winner. Del Cossa shook her hand excitedly. "You really should consider a career in fashion!" Klaus could hear him saying. Iris simply smiled at that and carried on by receiving her prize and bouquet.

Although the festival was officially over, people still lingered to see more of the outfits. As the winning model, Raelyn of course had most visitors… and why wasn't he surprised that her visitors were mostly male?

"You were wonderful up there!" Klaus heard one of them said.

"May I know your name?"

"Can we have tea together after this?"

Raelyn's face, partly hid by her oversized sleeve as she put her hand to cover the lower part of her face, twisted in discomfort and he could see that even from where he was standing. Before he knew what he was thinking, he walked towards the crowd surrounding the young farmer and cleared his throat—making sure that it was audible.

"Iris was looking for you," he announced.

Raelyn didn't immediately catch it; she stood frozen there for a few moments before she snapped back to her senses and walked towards him. She lifted her skirt with one of her hand while still covering her face with the other and they walked away from the crowd. Klaus noticed that Raelyn was struggling with her dress; its skirt was completely sweeping the floor. Raelyn tried to pull back the train and gathered it in her arms, but her kimono sleeves made the job harder.

"Let me help you," Klaus offered as he bent down and gathered an armful of the train and lifted it. Her feet were now visible; there was no swelling anywhere, he noted to himself.

"T-Thank you, Mr. Klaus," she stammered as she took the skirt from Klaus and hugged it tightly.

"Congratulations for your winning," he said.

"It's Miss Iris, really, not me…"

"You made a wonderful display of her choice of dress."

"But I fell down…"

"You stood up and finished the show. That's all that matters."

Unbeknownst to him, Raelyn blushed at his words. "T-Thanks…" she muttered.

Finally, they found Iris surrounded by some people, strangers, most probably fashionistas who noticed her. She noticed them, however, and excused herself to approach Klaus and Raelyn.

"Mr. Klaus said you were looking for me…" Raelyn muttered.

_Oh, no_, Klaus thought inwardly. Iris was obviously confused and glanced at him quizzically, asking for an explanation. Although for others he might seem to be calm, Iris knew how to really read his heart. She smiled and turned back to Raelyn. "Yes, I was," she said. "I really have to thank you for being my model."

"But, I screwed up…"

"No, no, no, you certainly did not," Iris said immediately. "You might not have planned falling on the runway, but look—we won!"

Iris hugged Raelyn and patted her head softly. "I hope you didn't hurt yourself?"

"I'm okay, Miss Iris…"

Klaus sighed in relief. _Thank goodness Iris understood…_

He blinked in surprise when he caught himself thinking that way.

_Why I must be very subtle in helping her out?_

* * *

_Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review ^^_


	5. She Says: I Can't Be A Burden

_OK guys, since I made an upload mistake last chapter, this is my attempt to make it up! So yeah, if you felt like you read the wrong chapter please go back because I have uploaded the right one. Really sorry for the mistake!_

_ben4kevin: Thanks! It was inspired by HG's dress from game to game, and Yuna's summoner dress in FFX_

_fantasyanimegirl283: Thanks for the compliments! I need to improve lot on my writing, still, but your compliment is very encouraging ^^_

* * *

Raelyn had mixed feelings about the events during Fashion Feista; regretting her being Iris' model wouldn't change a thing now. (Un)fortunately, ever since Iris won the festival, people knew her. Consequently, it became much, much harder to pass unnoticed when she made her regular visits to the town.

"Why wouldn't you like that, dearie?" Eda asked worriedly. "At your age, you should socialize and meet new people a lot."

"My nose hurts, for one…" Raelyn murmured, rubbing her nostrils as she spoke. She had told Eda about her nose when the latter cooked her curry—needless to say, it took some time for her dizzy spell to subside. "Maybe I should wear my mask again…"

"And cover your pretty face?"

"I'd done that for… I don't know."

"Maybe you should talk to Klaus."

"Mr. Klaus?!"

"Why, yes, he _is_ a perfumer, dearie," Eda reminded her. "If there is anyone who could understand your plight, that would be him."

Raelyn scratched her head. Eda had a point, after all, but… Klaus? She remembered how he escorted and helped her with her dress during the festival. Although she still walked two or three steps behind him, she had never been even that close to any man save for her father and brothers. Needless to say, she was… nervous.

It doesn't help that Klaus was quite handsome, too.

"Is there anything wrong with him?" the elderly woman asked softly.

"Er… I'd rather go to Dr. Marian," Raelyn said. "Maybe there are some drugs or something else…"

"Alright, if that's what you want," Eda said. "Why don't you go to the Clinic now before it closes?"

Raelyn looked at the time: it was near five. Tomorrow was Sunday, too.

"Right, I should go now…"

* * *

Raelyn looked at the doctor sitting in front of her pleadingly. "No, honey, I won't prescribe anything," he said insistently. "Consuming drugs for a lengthened period of time will bring nothing good for you! You are still young and beautiful—what if the drugs make your skin parched?"

"But…"

"For once I have to agree with Dr. Marian," Angela chimed in. "It is not practical, after all. Imagine the financial burden it will cost you."

An idea popped up in the doctor's mind. "I might be able to help in another way, though," he said.

Raelyn immediately turned her head towards Dr. Marian. "What is it?" she asked hopefully.

"Why don't you walk with me now, honey? The clinic is closing soon, anyway~"

"Okay…?"

* * *

_Why, why, WHY?!_

Raelyn stared in disbelief when Dr. Marian walked into Klaus' house with her in tow. She was supposed _not_ to go here, which was why she chose to pay a visit to the clinic… _but why?!_

Dr. Marian made her sit down on one of the dark purple couches behind the small dining table while he fetched the perfumer. "Klaus Adler~"

_Gosh… I shouldn't have come with him. I should have just worn my mask. I should have just—_

She smelled the scent of mint and rose alongside the scent of mild antiseptic that belonged to Dr. Marian. "Good afternoon, Miss Raelyn," his voice followed soon after.

"Ah!" she sprung on her feet to turn and greet him properly. However, in her nervousness, she hit her knee to the edge of the table. She yelped in pain and the two men rushed towards her.

"My, my, are you alright, honey?" Dr. Marian asked.

"…will be…" she winced, rubbing her knee beneath her duds.

"Well, I'll be off then," Dr. Marian winked. "Please take good care of her, Klaus."

"Doctor!" Raelyn protested.

"I expect a report tomorrow, honey," he cut her off easily. "Ciao~"

The doctor closed the door behind him and Klaus walked towards his small kitchen. "Do you need some ice for your knee?" he offered kindly.

"No, it's okay, Mr. Klaus," she replied, cursing herself for being clumsy at this kind of time… _what kind of time is this, exactly?_

_Wait, what? What the heck am I thinking?_

"All right, then," he said, turning around again to face her. "Marian told me you needed my assistance."

"It's… it's not a big deal, actually."

"Then, since it's not a big deal, perhaps I could really be of help," he said.

"Er… so… actually, right…" she stuttered. As she tried to form a coherent sentence in her head to be delivered to her tongue, she realized that Klaus was frowning. Was he annoyed… or worried? "My nose hurts."

"Hm?"

"My nose has been quite—I mean, overly—sensitive," Raelyn finally admitted. "I asked Dr. Marian whether he could help me… and he brought me here."

It took some moments for Klaus to really register what she had told him. "Ah, of course," he replied. "Wait for a moment."

Klaus walked towards his work station at the adjacent room. She could smell a lot of scent mixed together in the air coming from that room, but since they were rather pleasant, it didn't give her a dizzy spell whatsoever.

Klaus came back with a jar of coffee beans in his hand and offered it to her. "Try sniffing this."

She did as he asked and found out that as she inhaled the scent of coffee beans, her nose seemed to be relaxed. No one in her house had been a big fan of coffee, so this was the first time she tried this trick. "It is common to use coffee to neutralize a nose," he explained. "Perhaps you could store your handkerchief with coffee beans and bring that around?"

She took another deep breath and returned the small jar back to Klaus. She smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Mr. Klaus," she said.

Klaus smiled back at her as he took the jar. "You're most welcome."

The perfumer was about to put the coffee beans jar back to its place when he remembered that he had once offered her to look around at his work station. "Miss Raelyn," he said. "Remember I once offered you to look around at my work station?"

She nodded.

"Since you are here, how about you let me offer that once again?"

She smiled again, this time giving him a peek to a row of neatly lined white teeth behind her lips. "I'll take you up on that," she agreed.

Klaus brought her to his work station. It was a long wooden simple desk with small shelves consisting of two rows. All rows were filled with small dark bottles, each of them labeled by the name of a certain scent. "Those are concentrates. I mix a certain proportion of some concentrates to create a new scent."

Raelyn leaned forward to get a better look at the concentrate bottles and felt that the scent mix got even stronger so she leaned back almost immediately. "Do you make them, too?"

"The concentrates? Some of them, yes," he said. "Those would be the cases when I didn't get a satisfactory sample from my supplier."

"Using what?"

"A distillation setup," he said. "But, since I don't use it so often, I stored them away until I need them again."

"Oh, I see…"

Raelyn hummed lightly as she took a good look at Klaus' workspace. It was a new sight to her, so she was determined to remember as much as she could. "Why the weighing scale?"

"That's to determine the proportion of each concentrate."

Raelyn then listened carefully as Klaus gave her a brief overview of his work. She had never thought that making a perfume could be quite a taxing process. Their conversation was interrupted when they realized that the sky was already dark outside.

"Oh! I have to get back now!" Raelyn exclaimed. "Thanks for the advice, Mr. Klaus!"

"Wait, Miss Raelyn," Klaus reached to one of the shelves and took out a small bag. "I have some coffee beans to spare, actually, you can have them."

"I can buy some when Asche is in town."

"She doesn't have coffee beans with her," Klaus pointed out. "I usually buy mine when I go out of town."

"Oh…" she gingerly took the bag and bowed slightly. "Thank you, I'll pay for this…"

"There's no need," Klaus assured her as they walked to the door. "This is nothing much, really."

Raelyn didn't notice that they had been walking together until she had gone down the steps to his house. "Thank you for everything, Mr. Klaus," she said nevertheless. "I'll be on my way…"

"I will go with you to the mountain," he told her.

"Huh?"

"It's unsafe for a young woman to walk alone in the forest at this house," he said. "I insist."

"But, that's…" Raelyn muttered. "I can't be a burden more than I already have."

Hearing her words, Klaus smiled. "Who ever said you're a burden, Miss Raelyn?"

That got her to stop arguing and their goodbye would be when Klaus stood at her doorway, with her safe and sound.

* * *

_What would happen next?_

_Stay tuned to find out!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review ^^_


	6. He Says: It's Long Overdue

_Hey guys, thanks for following this! Thanks for the reviews, too ^^_

_Snazziest: HAHAHA yeah, I guess a person like Klaus just have that in him, y'know, inducing nervousness? And although personally I can't wait to write something more intense... I think this kind of couple needs time to get 'intense' lol_

_ToOH: Thanks! Well, I thought i'd fall for Nadi, too, to be honest, but oh well... hahahaa hope you enjoy the rest of the chapters! ^^_

_CrimsonCrush: maybe this chapter would answer you? maaaaybe?_

* * *

Klaus watched attentively as his client put his nose on the mouth of the bottle containing the sample he had brought. Klaus watched as the latter's chest rose as he inhaled the scent.

"Ah, as always, Mr. Adler," the client said. "Your scent never betrays your reputation."

Like most—if not all—artists, each perfumer had a certain kind of personal signature in their scents, especially those not tied to a certain perfume company like Klaus. That personal signature then built the perfumer's reputation. Klaus occasionally received comments on his 'signature', but he never asked further; how would it seem if he was clueless about his own signature?

"Any adjustments you wish to ask?" he asked calmly.

"No, no, no… I think this is just like how I want it to be," the client replied. "Thank you, Mr. Adler."

"You are welcome."

The meeting was concluded soon after. Klaus packed up and began his way back to Oak Tree. On his way back, he passed the market where he usually bought his coffee beans. Klaus headed in and the merchant, recognizing him, immediately prepared his usual order.

"Good day, Mr. Adler! Here's your coffee!"

"Actually, I'm planning to buy more," he told him. "Twice that amount, please."

"Oh, really? The scent going off faster in summer? Not that I'm complaining, of course!"

"That, and something else."

"Like what, Klaus?"

Klaus looked over his shoulder and Iris was already standing behind him, smiling. She usually met her editor in this town, too, so they usually had their trip to and fro together.

Klaus finished his transaction and put the two packs of coffee beans into his bag, carefully separating it from his other samples. After that, the two best friends made their way back to the town together. "How's your meeting, Iris?"

"Nothing much," she replied quickly. "So, why the extra beans, Klaus?"

"I promised Raelyn to help her buy some beans since Asche never stocks it."

"Oh, right," the blonde's eyes twinkled. "So, it's 'Raelyn' now, huh?"

Klaus held his breath. "Just a slip of tongue," he defended himself quickly.

"Not good enough, Niklaus Adler," Iris chortled. "And what about the overdue birthday present?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You know…" Iris trailed off. "The scent you've been working for since… Thirteenth of Spring?"

Klaus winced. He only knew that Raelyn's birthday was on the Thirteenth of Spring just the night before from Marian (he had no idea why Marian told him). Obviously he couldn't just conjure a scent overnight; somehow mixing something he had known in the back of his head didn't feel right. He felt even worse when Raelyn gave him a present for his birthday three days ago. It was just a small, simple bouquet made of wildflowers, but still…

"It's not her birthday present," he replied. "It's too long overdue."

"Aw, don't be upset," the blonde patted his shoulder. "You can give her another time."

"Iris," Klaus sighed. "I don't have any… ulterior motives, okay?"

"Never said you do," the novelist replied almost immediately. "But since you mentioned it…"

"Iris," he said sternly.

Iris knew when not to push Klaus. She held her peace, but not before giving him one of her meaningful smile.

One thing about her pink hair, it made her so easy to be noticed. Klaus could see her from the distance as he walked into the town; she was standing in front of Asche's stall. He walked over to her, but just as he passed the center of the depot, Raelyn turned around and smiled politely. "Mr. Klaus,"

"Hello, Miss Raelyn," he replied, taking pleasure in how soft her voice were when calling his name. "How's everything?"

"It's good. I can afford a coop very soon!"

Klaus smiled. "It seems that you've settled in well with farm life."

"My mother is one herself," Raelyn said. "It's not a completely new life for me."

"Ah, I see…"

Klaus then remembered about the coffee beans. He opened his bag and gave her one of the packs. "I'm sure the scent of beans I gave you last has already diminished."

"Oh, right…" Raelyn nodded. "How much would this be?"

"This is nothing much."

"No," she insisted. "I can't impose too much. Please let me pay for this."

None of them made a move. Klaus looked at her deep magenta eyes; they reminded him of an old red wine. He finally relented. "It would be 80 G."

That wasn't the full price, of course, but at least that would please her.

Raelyn smiled and fished for her purse and gave him exactly the amount he told her. "Thank you, Mr. Klaus."

Somehow, looking at her, he knew what he wanted to give her—the kind of scent that would suit her just right.

"Miss Raelyn, do you have some time?"

The young woman nodded gingerly.

"I have something else I want to give you, but it's in my house," he told her. "I was hoping you could come over for a moment?"

After taking some time to think, Raelyn nodded. "Of course, Mr. Klaus."

They walked together, with Iris who caught up to them soon, to the western part of the town. Iris waved goodbye to them at the intersection and walked back to her house.

Klaus asked her to wait in the living room when he quickly went to his desk. Once he knew what he wanted, it wasn't hard to mix the concentrates proportionately. After he got what he wanted, he put it into an atomizer and walked over to Raelyn.

"I would like you to have this," he said. "I'm sorry I didn't wrap it in anything… and that it's long overdue."

"Long overdue?" Raelyn echoed, confused. However, she caught what he meant quickly afterwards. "Oh, it's okay, Mr. Klaus. I didn't… expect anything at all, actually."

Klaus smiled. "Why don't you try it on and see whether it's to your liking?"

Raelyn did what he asked and brought it close to her nose.

"Cherry blossoms… red wine… and chamomile?"

"I toned down the red wine and gave an extra dash of chamomile," he explained. "Did you like it?"

Raelyn looked up, right to his eyes, and smiled again. "This is so relaxing, Mr. Klaus. Thank you so much."

Klaus smiled back at her. The way she was around him: the way she smiled and the way she looked at him just stirred something in him. Something deep, he knew. It almost felt like the feeling when he had mixed everything so precisely in proportion… but this one felt so much better; not exactly intense, but definitely growing.

Perhaps only time could tell whether this was for the better or worse.

* * *

_Thanks for reading!_

_Please rate and review! ^^_


	7. She Says: Things Happened

_Miss Kitty DeMarco: Thanks for the compliment! Actually, there is one female doctor in HM series, Ayame in ToTT (Hiro is her apprentice, so technically, she is the doctor). As for Chapter Five, I'd say it's set between 13 Spring (Raelyn's birthday) and 24 Spring (you-know-whose birthday). Although I wrote it as if Raelyn is jealous, actually I think she's not technically jealous. More like she's feeling bad to 'interrupt the couple' (?) Something like that, I guess, yeah. But, of course the readers are free to interpret whatever from what I've written hahahahaha_

* * *

Raelyn grinned widely when she noticed that there was a letter in her mailbox. She did all of her morning chores—feeding Hanako and watering the turnips—quickly and rushed over to read the letter. As expected, it was a letter from her family back in Echo Town. Her father's penmanship was unmistakable. She tore the envelope and opened the letter.

_Dear Lynn,_

_We're glad to hear that you're doing alright there and that you like the present. I guess not wearing a mask must be comfortable, huh? But I think it's better it you wear it… just in case. I mean, none of your brothers or me are there, you see? Ah, well, but you're twenty now._

_In any case, Lynn, just tell me when you want to go home, 'kay? Your bed and everything else is still in their places, you know?_

_Your mom has been gushing about whether you have a crush there. Do you?_

_Your brothers are doing fine here too. They're doing a very good job with the farm and the animal store that your mom and I can relax a bit. They don't say it much, but they miss you a lot as well._

_As for me, do you even need to ask? I'm actually thinking of going over there but your mom wouldn't let me saying things like settling down and bothering you and stuff. And as always, she makes sense. So, for now I'll hold back and wait patiently until you really, really settle down there (NOT with a guy, okay?) before I visit._

_Take care over there._

_Love,_

_Dad_

Lynn chuckled. She folded the letter and put it back into the envelope before storing it in the shelf. She was planning to reply later, after she was done with everything she had to do today.

She looked at her to-do list. Asche was in town today; the new merchant… Marielle, if she had remembered it correctly, was in too. Thus, Trade Depot was a must-go.

_Hmm, I should ask Grandma Eda… maybe she needs something from the town._

Raelyn made her way to her next-door neighbor and knocked. "Grandma Eda~"

"Oh, Raelyn, dearie, please come in," she heard her answering from inside.

The young pinkette pushed the door slightly as saw a redhead standing on the other side, his back facing her. "Oh, hi, Fritz,"

He turned around, "Hi, Raelyn!" he greeted back. "I was thinking of eating at Raeger's! Wanna come?"

"Ah… well…"

"I think you should, dear," the elderly woman urged. "Remember what I said about more socializing?"

"Do you need me to pick up anything from the town?" she asked, remembering her initial purpose of visiting Eda.

"No, no, you just enjoy your time in the town," she replied cheerily. "Take a good care of her, Fritz."

"Sure I will!"

Left with no other option Raelyn nodded. "But, I have to stop by the Trade Depot first," she told him. "Shipping…"

"Sure! I'm heading there as well so it's pretty neat!"

Raelyn nodded and they left together for the town. Along the way, Fritz told her many things; among them, how he was acquainted with Raeger.

"We're on the same batch in the cooking school! He graduated third of the class while me… oh, well~"

"So how did you decide to be a farmer?" Raelyn asked carefully. "I mean… chef and farmer…?"

"I know what you mean, don't worry!" Fritz, ever carefree, grinned. "So I landed on some jobs here and there, but things happened and I just… I dunno, it's doesn't feel like that's the right thing! I still kept in touch with Raeger and when he mentioned that this town was recruiting new farmers, I asked him whether I could be one, too… then here I am!"

They unknowingly reached their destination as they conversed (more precisely, Raelyn listening to Fritz's life story). Raelyn greeted Asche, did her shipping and then walked towards the new stall.

"Welcome!" Marielle greeted. "Come! Look at my items!"

Raelyn did as she was asked. She noticed the various colored discs, similar to what her father sold at his own stall. However, if she remembered correctly, her father only sold four kinds of these.

"These are…"

"Animal treats!" Marielle replied excitedly. "You give enough of them to your animals and they'll yield more products!"

"Why there are so many colors?" she asked.

Marielle then explained the other colors—the foreign color, white, was for rabbits apparently—with Raelyn listened attentively. In the end, she bought some Moo-Moo Treats and thanked the enthusiastic merchant.

Fritz was already waiting for her in front of Jonas' table. "Sorry, I took quite long."

"No sweat!" Fritz replied. "Cabin Country sells a lot of animal stuff, isn't it!"

"Mmhm," she nodded.

The restaurant was not far away. One full season in this town, Raelyn had actually never eaten in the restaurant. She only visited once and it was only to greet the owner, a nice-looking guy with auburn hair.

While Fritz burst with his seemingly never-ending energy towards the door, Raelyn walked towards the board in front of the establishment.

_Restaurant_

_Open: 11.00-21.30_

_Closed on Wednesdays_

"Fritz?" Raelyn called, just before the redhead touched the doorknob. "Today is… Wednesday, right?"

"Yep! Why?"

Raelyn looked at Fritz and was about to tell him what she had seen when the guy realized it himself. "Dang it! Not again?"

_Again?_ she asked inwardly.

"In the day I decided to come!" Fritz continued. "That can't be!"

Fritz slumped at the stairs. "Whyyy? WHYYY?!"

"The restaurant is closed today," a calm voice commented, adding more to Fritz's metaphorical wounded state.

Raelyn turned around and found the guy she remembered to be the restaurant's owner:… Raeger.

"I'm sorry, Raelyn," he added. "I'm closed at the day you finally come."

"Er… that's alright," she said, blushing slightly. _He's quite good-looking._

It was then Raeger finally noticed Fritz. "You again?" he asked, still friendly but slightly harsher. He sighed heavily. "Do you ever learn, Fritz? I'm _always _closed on Wednesdays. It's not like I close at random to torment you, you know?"

"Ughh… can't argue with that," Fritz groaned. "And I thought I'm gonna show Raelyn your cooking."

"So you were the one who brought her here from the mountain?" Raeger sighed. "Move out from my stairs."

Fritz let out another groan, but did as he was asked, as Raeger fished a key from his pocket. "Come on in, you two," he said, looking at them. "I suppose I can make an exception, since this is Raelyn's first time and I don't want to disappoint her because of someone's else foolishness."

"Aw, thanks, I love you, man!"

"Eww don't say that," Raeger rolled his eyes. "It's gross."

Raelyn bowed slightly. "Thanks…" she muttered.

"No worries," he replied kindly, completing the nice-guy package with his smile. "Like I said, I don't want to disappoint you because of Fritz."

Raeger walked into his kitchen, stationed just behind his counter. "So… what's your order?"

Raelyn looked at the menu. "Everything looks nice…" she commented. After some moments, she chose to order some blueberry ice cream.

She sat on the long table near the counter, Fritz next to her, and Raeger waiting for them after he served their orders. The young woman took a small spoonful of her ice cream and felt it melt against her tongue. "This is nice!" she exclaimed.

"Thanks," Raeger replied.

"I wish I could cook half as well…" she sighed. Well, she could cook well enough to survive, but there were times she felt like eating nice things made by her own hand.

"I can give you some pointers, if you'd like," he offered, much to everyone's surprise.

"Really?" she almost sprung to her feet. "You'd really do that?"

"Yeah," he said. "I have nothing much to do when the restaurant is empty, anyway. Just don't come during the lunch rush hour?"

She beamed into a smile. "Thanks, Raeger."

* * *

They finished quickly so that Raeger could have his free time back. Fritz and Raeger had plans to go out, though, so that left Raelyn alone. "Soooo, what're you going to do now, Raelyn?"

"I guess I'll go back…"

"Raelyn?"

Raelyn turned at her caller. It was Iris, carrying two bags of what seemed to be groceries. "Miss Iris!"

She jogged towards the novelist and was about to offer her help when the latter put the bags down on one of the outdoor table in front of the restaurant.

"Fancy seeing you here," she smiled. "But I thought Raeger's closed today?"

"Things happened…" Raelyn replied, unwilling to recount what had happened. "So, um… your groceries?"

"Ah, yes!" she replied. "Klaus has been feeling unwell these past few days so I was thinking to cook his favorite food."

"Aw~ that's very sweet of you," Raelyn smiled. "He's so lucky to have you as his girlfriend."

"Me? His girlfriend?" Iris laughed, leaving Raelyn confused. Thankfully, Iris quickly gathered her composure back and smiled at the pinkette. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh. It's just that thought sounds so _ridiculous_ I couldn't help it!"

"R-ridiculous?"

"Uh-huh," Iris nodded. "We've known each other for a long time. Since childhood, in fact, but I'm not his girlfriend. He's single and free for the taking, FYI," she winked playfully, but Raelyn was too dazed to notice that.

Raelyn blinked once, twice, and then thrice before it finally sunk into her head. "Oh, gosh, I'm sorry…"

Iris tapped her shoulder gently. "It's okay, it's not the first time people thought we're dating."

"Well…" Raelyn hesitated.

"In fact, why don't you come along and help me cook?" Iris offered.

"Huh?"

"Mistel has a shop to run, so obviously I can't ask him."

"B-but, I…" Raelyn stuttered. "I'm not very good…"

"It should be a good practice," Raelyn jerked and turned around; apparently Raeger had finished cleaning up. "Bouillabaisse, right?"

Iris smiled and nodded. "Yep."

Raeger turned to face Raelyn. "It's not a very hard dish, I think you should try it."

Raelyn pondered over her choices.

_Dad, I think I'll have to reply the letter later. Much later._

* * *

_Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review ^^_


	8. He Says: I'd Like That Very Much

_Hey guys! Thank you for reading, putting in on your fave/following list, and reviewing! ^^ Things are getting more into action, although it's on baby steps, I'd say! ^^_

_Miss Kitty DeMarco: well, I didn't see that coming until I read your chapter, lol. And yeah, I think Klaus is already on the workaholic end of the spectrum, he really needs to rest (partly out of my annoyance that he's most probably working when I visit him at his house)_

_BubbleFettTea: Although she says in the last chapter, I'd say 'things happened' here instead (for her? for him? for both? I'd let you have your pick) ^^_

_CrimsonCrush: your wait is over! ^^_

* * *

Klaus sat down in front of his desk, a reaction tube in his hand. His head was spinning, as if he was on a desperately spinning carousel, but he tried to ignore it.

_This scent has to be finished for this weekend's meeting,_ he thought to himself.

When he felt the tingling sensation in his nose, he pulled and looked away before actually sneezing. His head spun a little bit harder and was a little bit lighter when he did that.

It began on Monday… a simple flu. He turned in earlier for that day, but it didn't improve on Tuesday. In fact, earlier, he could barely get out of his bed that Iris—tired of waiting him in front of his house, probably—took the matters into her hand and told his client that he was unable to meet them this week. She had left with a stern warning against going anywhere near his desk, but a job was a job.

He had to be responsible, didn't he?

He brought the tube closer to his nose, but alas, he couldn't smell anything. He could go by pure mathematical method of mixing concentrates and would know how it would feel like but it didn't feel complete until he knew how it would react in free air.

"I'm letting myself in as always, Klaus," a voice came behind him. Klaus sighed and continued working. Iris had been his regular visitor, anyway, and she was supposed to know that he was working.

"Shouldn't you be resting, Mr. Klaus?"

He held his breath when he heard that voice and turned his head to see the pinkette, cocking her head so slightly at the direction of his desk. "Miss Iris told me… you're sick."

"Just a slight flu, nothing to be gravely worried about."

"Have you seen Dr. Marian?"

"No, I haven't had the time."

The young woman frowned and it sent his stomach into tight, unpleasant knots. Such an expression shouldn't be on that kind of face… at all. Double that for knowing that it might be him who had caused that expression to surface on her face. "You should rest," she reiterated her point, this time not rhetorically anymore.

"You should listen to her," Iris added and he heard things being put down somewhere, most probably the kitchen counter. "I presume you haven't had your dinner?"

"I was about to cook something," he replied, half-lying, still not moving from his chair although he had put the tube back into the rack after putting a stopper on it. "Something simple."

"I'm going to borrow your kitchen to cook you some bouillabaisse," Iris stated. "And Raelyn is coming to help me."

"I could do that instead," Klaus offered as he grabbed the armrests to get up.

"Rejected. You lie down and rest," Iris retorted without batting an eyelid. "Come on, Raelyn."

"O-okay!"

Soon, they began working. Klaus couldn't help but to peek; they were cleaning the fishes and the prawns. He saw the younger girl peeked every so often sideways, looking at how Iris was doing. He also heard Iris' speaking.

"…do it like this, yes, correct…"

_Iris was teaching her._

"Miss Raelyn."

The younger woman turned her head at the call of her name.

"I'm grateful for the kind thought, but I'm fine enough to prepare my own meal."

"I…" she puffed her cheeks slightly, as if that action could help her to steel her resolve (if there was anything, that made her looked adorable). "No. You _really really _should rest, Mr. Klaus. And won't that suit feel stuffy, anyway?"

"Bingo!" Iris chortled. "See, Klaus? I'm not the only one who asked you to change your clothes to something more appropriate to your condition."

"These clothes are fine…" he groaned, although inwardly he admitted that he felt warmer that usual wearing these clothes.

"You're soaking, Mr. Klaus," Raelyn pointed out matter-of-factly.

It was hard to win in an argument against Iris alone, much less if she had an ally… like Raelyn.

Klaus sighed in defeat and walked towards his wardrobe. They were busy in the kitchen, anyway, so it would be okay if he changed. He opened it and saw his reflection on the mirror fastened at the back of its door. He was paler than he had imagined. Klaus tried to shrug it away, but his head felt unbelievably heavy and his vision started to fade out.

_This is just a simple flu, nothing big,_ he chided himself. _You've grown weak, Niklaus Adler._

Then it went on again—the desperately spinning carousel. However, this time he couldn't hold himself up like he had been doing during the day.

The last thing he remembered was that it felt so light, before ending with a slight thud on the back of his head.

* * *

It was dark but smelled of… Marian.

_I must've passed out,_ he noted grimly. _Iris would chew my ears out after this._

Klaus opened his eyes and sure enough, the town doctor—and his eternal matchmaking agent, if he may add—was sitting next to his bed. His face was contorted in a mixture of annoy and worry. "Niklaus Adler!" he chided. "I live just next door yet you said you have no time to check up on _yourself_?"

"I apologize, Marian…" he said, his voice even weaker than it was before. "It's just… you know the new fashion season is coming, correct? It goes the same with perfumes…"

Klaus coughed violently and he felt that his nose was totally blocked off. Marian handed him a sheet of tissue paper and he excused himself, facing away from the doctor, before taking it out.

"Of course I know, Klaus darling," Marian said with a softer voice. "But it's not a reason to abandon your beauty by wasting your body away. Especially when you're living alone like this. If only you have a…"

"Not again, Marian," Klaus warned. "This is not the best time to discuss such matters."

Marian smiled smugly. "Oh, really? Do you want to know who called me?"

"Iris?" he asked as he straightened his back so that he was leaning against the headboard.

He made an audible tsk tsk sound while moving his finger. "No, no, it's Raelyn."

"Oh, right…" Klaus remembered that the pinkette was here, too.

"She practically burst into my clinic, pale and all, and dragged me here."

It was then Klaus noticed his clothes. He was wearing a simple white shirt, fresh and dry. "I'm sorry she wasn't the one changing your clothes," Marian winked suggestively. "I bet she would blush adorably at the sight of your body. You never told me you're still keeping that up, but I agree that such a body is a marvelous asset! All the more reason to keep healthy, hm?"

"Marian…" he groaned again. "Let's just stop at lecturing me to stay healthy, okay?"

"Aw… and she was _sooo_ worried about you, enough to make you a sinner," he commented. "She told me she went back to wrap up with her chores just a moment ago, but still she was worried because you're not waking up. You should make a confession to her, Klaus darling!"

"Confession as in apologize, I'm sure," his golden eyes darted aside, finding Marian to be amused. "Marian, I have to remind you that she's almost half my age."

"Some things get better as they age, darling~"

Before Klaus could say something, his door was flung open and someone rushed in. "Miss Raelyn?"

The young woman was surprised to hear that and turned around. When she saw that he was already awake, her face beamed into a huge smile. "Thank Goddess!"

Marian stood gentlemanly and offered her to sit where he had sat down earlier. "Oh, no, it's okay, Dr. Marian," she refused politely. "Um… actually I was just checking things out."

"I apologize to have bothered you."

"Oh! No, no, no, it's fine—I mean, it's _not_ fine that you're sick and all but it's—what I'm trying to say is…" her speech gradually became much faster and both Klaus and Marian could barely catch her words.

"Calm down, honey, and take a deep breath," Marian suggested.

Raelyn did so, taking a long, deep breath that her chest puffed out a little bit. She exhaled. "It's fine, Mr. Klaus," she finally said, the speed of her speech nearing the normal parameter again. "I bet you're hungry now, so I'm going to heat up your bou—er, I mean boojahbes…?"

"Bouillabaisse," Marian offered.

"Right, that," she sheepishly agreed. Klaus noticed that her cheeks were dusted with rosy specks. Was she embarrassed because she couldn't pronounce 'bouillabaisse' properly? He took a closer look at her; her dress was soaked slightly with sweat and perhaps he could've smelled it if it wasn't for the flu. So… she had been running? To check on him?

The previous knots in his stomach were suddenly replaced by something else… fluttering, fulfilling… definitely more pleasant than the knots. It was the kind of feeling that left him wanting for more; wanting to protect that shy smile and blush so that he would always feel this way.

He closed his eyes and felt the feeling intensified in him. It calmed him down somehow and he smiled.

"I'd like that very much, thank you."

* * *

_Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review ^^_


	9. She Says: Perhaps I Could Help With That

_Hi everyone! Thanks for following this story and this chapter is for all of you ^^_

* * *

Being a girl, of course there were days she dreamed of cooking and setting up a table all by her own then ate with her husband. Then, when they had kids, the kids would help her out by bringing out the plates and stuff, just like how she saw her mom doing it. Being the youngest (with two—needless to say—protective older brothers), however, she was prevented from taking a larger role than taking out the unbreakable utensils. Rex would take care of the side dishes and Nate the glassware while Mom, of course, the main dish. If Dad were around (dinnertime, typically), then he would handle the main dish while Mom got her much deserved rest.

The first time she set up a table on her own was when she moved out to the city—and it wasn't a full setup like her family did it—just a bowl of mac and cheese with a glass of orange juice she poured from the bottle she bought from the convenience store. It was overwhelmingly lonely and she cried her pillow to sleep that night, but she wouldn't admit it in her letter because she didn't want to make her family, especially her dad, worried.

Therefore, Raelyn found herself humming in joy softly when she was allowed to set up the table in Klaus' house. Recalling the fact that she contributed to the cooking of the bouillabaisse doubled up that joy. It was for three: Klaus, Marian and herself. Marian offered to help, but she declined; she was going to enjoy this, although it might sound inappropriate, as this wasn't her house.

Raelyn went back to the other side of the house and called the two men. "It's ready," she announced.

Klaus flipped his blanket open and stood up together with Marian. "You seem to be very happy, Miss Raelyn," he noted.

Her heart skipped a beat. _Was it that obvious?_

"Not that I have any complaint, of course," the older man added quickly.

"Your blush is so adorable honey," the doctor lightly poked her cheek. "I wouldn't mind having a little sister like you."

Raelyn chuckled shyly and the three of them sat down around the table with Klaus and Marian on one side and her on the other. "Oh~ this looks delicious!" Marian squealed.

"I'm not sure about that…" Raelyn admitted. "Well, I'm mostly doing what Miss Iris told me, but still…"

"Aw… you should have some confidence in yourself, honey!"

She felt her cheeks warmed up again. Thankfully, no one pointed out her blushing since Klaus announced they should start eating. Raelyn did nothing while both men took a spoonful of the stew and slurped it quietly. Again, she knew it was mostly her doing what Iris told her to, but again… she was the one putting on the seasoning.

"This is delicious!" Marian squealed. "Honey, you should try it!"

"He's correct," Klaus joined in.

Sighing in relief, Raelyn finally tasted the bouillabaisse. Thanks to their compliment, she gained more confidence in her cooking.

"Raelyn, honey,"

Raelyn looked up, noticing that the doctor was looking at her intently. "Yes?"

"Do you prefer new wines or older ones?"

Raelyn cocked her head slightly to the side. "Wines?"

"Uh-huh, wines." Marian smiled.

"Um…" Raelyn pondered. "I don't drink often… so I don't know much about wines."

"Go on,"

"But, I think older wines are better," Raelyn continued. "They have nicer smell, for one, and it's just that… there's something else in older wines that's not there in newer ones."

The doctor grinned at her. "You have a good taste, honey," he said, his voice melodious as if he found something he had been looking for. Raelyn glanced aside, finding that the perfurmer was staring at her. However, she was too nervous to ask him why. The rest of the dinner ensued with Marian did most of the talking and Klaus—ironically or not—did the least.

* * *

"I should go home now," Raelyn announced after she finished cleaning the dishes together with Marian (they overruled Klaus' objection, of course).

"Alone?" Klaus frowned at her and suddenly she was besieged with something akin to guilt.

"Well…" she stammered. "Yes, of course, Mr. Klaus."

"I'll take my coat,"

"No!" she rejected immediately. "If you walk all the way to the mountain and back, you won't get better soon!"

"She's right, Klaus darling," Marian joined in. "I need to check on Madam Eda. I'll walk her back."

_Oh, right_. She then remembered that Grandma Eda had been complaining about her hips. It wasn't something new, but better safe than sorry.

Without saying any kind of warning, the doctor pulled her away. "Good night, Klaus~" he said as they walked down the steps in front of his house.

"Uh, get well soon, Mr. Klaus!" she managed to say.

* * *

"Thanks, Dr. Marian…" Raelyn muttered as the two of them walked past the paddy field. "You're checking on Grandma Eda this late…"

"Aw~ no problem, honey," the doctor replied. "It's a doctor's duty to ensure her patients are recovering well, right?"

"She seems to be much better," Raelyn told him. "I help her doing laborious chores like chopping down woods, and sometimes Fritz comes by, so everything should be alright…"

"That's good, that's good…" he mused. "Honey, you are close with Madam Eda, yes?"

Raelyn beamed up. "Yeah! She's like my own grandma!"

The doctor smiled at her. For the rest of the journey, the two of them talked about many things: the doctor trying to impart his version of the meaning of beauty to the younger woman, the field rental system, the other farmers… until she reached her doorstep.

"Raelyn, honey,"

"Yes, Dr. Marian?"

"Don't forget to take care of yourself, alright?" he reminded her. "People tend to do that while caring about others…"

Raelyn was momentarily confused. She cocked her head to the side. "Pardon?"

"I could easily name five people who could be worried sick about you, honey," Marian went on. "There's Madam Veronica, for one… myself and Angela, although she wouldn't say it out loud, then there's Iris… and Klaus."

Raelyn frowned while inwardly, she felt a bit warm and fuzzy knowing that despite being relatively new to this town, there were people who cared about her.

"From all of them, I think Klaus is the worst," Marian continued. "By which I mean, he worries about you the most."

She gasped. "Really?"

"For real," he then winked at her. "Visit him often, will you?"

* * *

Raelyn felt a bit stupid, but she had come so far that it felt more stupid to back off. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Mr. Klaus, are you in?" she said. "It's Raelyn."

There was a brief moment of silence—she thought he was already away—before she heard a voice replied from inside. "Coming."

Klaus opened the door a few moments later. He seemed to be much better; at least he was not as pale when he greeted her with a smile. "Please, come in, Miss Raelyn."

They walked together towards his dining table. "Is there anything I could help you with?"

"Um…" Raelyn hesitated as for how to reply the older man. She remembered what Marian told her—how Klaus was worried sick about her—and to be honest, she doubted it to be the case. However, she felt that there was nothing wrong in doing this, visiting him. She had told Grandma Eda earlier, and the latter was all for the idea—socialize more often, she told her again. She took a deep breath and she realized that Klaus smelled different again this day. "Were you working?"

"Yes," he replied and she was crestfallen. He added quickly. "Nothing much, Miss Raelyn… just tying up loose ends."

"Oh…"

"To be honest, actually I have not been able to smell the scent properly," Klaus admitted. "And scents tend to evaporate faster in summers, too…"

"Then, how do you go about mixing them up?"

"Purely by proportions I have taken down and estimations from experience," he answered. "But it doesn't feel complete until I test them."

An idea popped up in her mind. "Perhaps I could help with that?" she offered. "I mean… my nose isn't half bad… right?"

Raelyn held her breath when she realized that Klaus was watching her; his golden eyes were unbelievably bright in this summer day. "Mr. Klaus…?"

"Last time, you could accurately pinpoint the composite scents I gave to you…" Klaus told her. "I would be grateful for your assistance, Miss Raelyn."

* * *

_Seems like they are getting closer by day..._

_Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review ^^_


	10. He Says: It's A Lie

_Hey guys, I'm back with another chapter! Honestly, I don't know how would you feel about this chapter but I hope you'll enjoy it! ^^_

_Alexandra Arauz: Thanks for the compliment! I hope you'll continue enjoying this story ^^_

_Peachie: Thanks and yes, he's a male hahaha_

_teamBLAZE: Awww thanks for catching on that, I thought it would be a good premise for this story (the stimuli and the sense). Iris and Marian make a great matchmaking couple, don't you think? HAHA_

_fantasyanimegirl283: it's okay! I'm glad you're dropping a review despite being busy! And yeah, Raeger's 'eww' line is so hilarious I couldn't stop laughing when I saw it!_

_Bean9000: Thanks for the compliment and I'm happy to know that this story makes you happy! ^^_

_CrimsonCrush: read on to satisfy your curiosity *wink*_

* * *

Klaus was mixing the scent, as usual, when he heard the knock. "Mr. Klaus? It's me, Raelyn," he heard the voice said.

"Please come in," he replied while he stood up and straightened the hem of his suit to make himself seemed more presentable. He turned around just in time with her walking into the house. She smiled. "You seem to be better," she commented with relief.

"Yes, I am," he assured her as he motioned to a small seat he had prepared next to his in front of his desk. "Please."

The young woman took ginger steps to the chair. "Truth to be told, this might get repetitive and boring… so, if you do not wish to continue any longer please let me know."

She smiled. "It's okay," she assured him.

They sat down next to each other, but Klaus turned his chair so that he faced her. "Basically, I would ask you to smell the samples and give me your honest feedback."

"Okay…"

"I have prepared one before you came," Klaus reached out to one of his reaction tubes and pulled out its stopper before giving it to Raelyn. He watched as the young woman carefully put the tip of the tube near her nose. He watched it too, as she took a shallow breath, just enough to draw the scent into her sense, and then closed her eyes. "The client didn't give me specific requests, so it could be anything."

After some moments, Raelyn opened her eyes and faced him. "it feels too heavy," she told him. "The after-effects, I mean… I thought it was supposed to be lighter?"

Klaus put his hand on his chin and nodded pensively. "Do you have any suggestion as to how I should fix it?"

Raelyn pondered for a moment; the corners of her lips curled ever so slightly to form something akin to a smile as she pursed her lower lip. She used her free hand to prop herself, latching itself to the edge of the chair. Klaus could also feel her legs swinging back and forth; he didn't tell her that he could feel the light brushes of her shoes and his covered shins. She looked so young—well, she _was_ young—but there was something so girlish, so innocent in the way she was being around him. It couldn't be because of their age gap, right? Or could it be?

"How about adding a light, fruity scents?" she finally spoke up with a bright smile.

* * *

Klaus watched his client carefully as the latter tested his sample. They met in a simple diner, and it was quite noisy, but the silence that came from his client was more deafening than the conversations going on around him. It was his first job for this client, so this scent would be his first impression and first impression—needless to say—always weighed a lot.

After some moments, the client finally spoke. "There are two possibilities, Mr. Adler," he continued. "One: I heard wrong about you. Two: Something significant happened."

"Beg pardon, Sir?"

"I was told that your scent has this calming signature," the client spoke. "It is true, but not for long… but I have to say I love the small fruity surprise in the end. I'm impressed."

Klaus sighed in relief; he didn't even realize he had been holding his breath in. "When I first saw you, I thought your scents would be appropriate for older women… those in their thirties or forties, but this sample is very suitable for women in their twenties."

_Women in their twenties, huh…_ Klaus thought. He briefly thought about Raelyn; she was the one who suggested the fruity addition, after all. _Perhaps, that's why._

"Which is why, I'd like to place another order, this time for women in their thirties or forties…"

* * *

Klaus and Iris were walking back to town, telling each other about their respective meeting, when they passed a patisserie with a plate of beautifully arranged sakura mochi on the display. Again, he thought of Raelyn; while they were working, they conversed here and there mostly to keep her out from boredom. In one of such conversations, he found out that she loved sakura mochi.

Klaus turned to Iris. "One moment," he told her before walking into the shop.

It didn't take long before he came back with a small box containing half a dozen of sakura mochi. "Cakes?" Iris asked. "Since when?"

"It's not for me," Klaus replied as they resumed walking. "It's for Miss Raelyn."

Iris' eyes twinkled playfully. "For a date?"

"As thanks," Klaus emphasized. "For helping me out. She loves sakura mochi."

"I see…" Iris mused. "In a way, she did help you to receive another request." She then laughed lightly before saying, "It suits her… sakura mochi."

"What do you mean?"

"I heard this kind of rice cake is eaten in Sakura Country every year to commemorate a festival for young girls," she told him. "The pink color of the rice cake reminds me of her beautiful hair, and for the leaf wrapping…" she glanced playfully. "…do you need me to spell it out for you?"

* * *

He knocked on her door lightly three times. "Miss Raelyn? It's me."

"Wait for a moment, please!" she replied from inside.

She came out a few moments later. "Mr. Klaus!" she asked. "Today was the meeting, right? How was it?"

"It went very well, thanks for your assistance."

He could see her cheeks bloomed into a beautiful shade of pink. "It's nothing much, really," she told him.

He gave her the package. "No, no, you were a big help," he said. "Which is why I would insist for you to accept this."

Raelyn took the package and she squealed when she realized what it was. "Sakura mochi! Thanks, Mr. Klaus!"

Klaus unknowingly smiled, looking at her to be all excited like that. "I'm glad you like it."

"Would you like to come in for some tea?" she asked. "I mean, you've walked all the way to the mountain just to give me this… I feel bad if I just send you away."

"Tea would be good."

Raelyn stepped aside to allow him inside. Obviously, it was his first time to be in her house. It was small, but neat and clean. She didn't have much, but arranged what she had in such a way that made the room felt spacious.

She came back from the kitchen not very long after she asked him to sit around the small dining table with a teapot, two sets of cups and a small plate with the sakura mochi he bought on it. She set down the tray at the middle of the table. After she poured the tea for both of them, she sat down across him. "I hope you like green tea. Grandma Eda gave me some last time."

"I'm fine with all kinds of tea," he replied, taking in the warm scent of the cup of tea in front of him. "How about you?"

"I like green teas better than black."

Klaus noted that she talked more easily around him these days, which was a good thing. Sometimes he felt like he bored her out, but it didn't seem to be the case anymore.

She took one of the mochis on the plate, unwrapped and then took small bite. "Mmmm…" she hummed softly. "This is nice. Would you have some, Mr. Klaus?"

"No, it's okay," he refused politely. "I'm not really into sweets myself and it's good simply watching you enjoying it the way you do."

Her cheeks turned pink again, almost the same shade of the round—now incomplete—sweet right in front of her lips. Klaus couldn't help but to smile a little. He remembered what he had told Iris on their way back earlier.

_"If I said I feel nothing for her, I know it's a lie. It feels really good to see her smile and I would do anything to protect that. I want her to be happy and content and get all she wants and deserves…"_

He knew that everything he had told Iris was true when he saw her enjoying the sweets he had bought her. It was a simple thing, eating sweets, but somehow it seemed to be quite a deal. Her happiness pleased him.

A thought began to grow inside of him.

_Is this how it feels to have a younger sibling?_

* * *

_Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review ^^_

**_A/N: I know some of you might be like "WTH KLAUS THAT'S A CRUSH DATE HER DATE HER" etc. etc. in my defense, I believe that this relationship DEMANDS things to be taken slowly. ^^_**


	11. She Says: Call Me Raelyn

_Hey everyone! I'm glad that we are on the same page about the 'slow romance' ^^_

_Thanks for all readers; those who favorite/follow this story; reviewers! Te amo! ^^_

_I hope you enjoy this chapter~_

* * *

Today was the Fireworks Festival. As such, Raelyn decided to pay a visit to the travelling merchant earlier than she would usually do. She hauled her harvest—onions, mostly—and marched towards the Trade Depot.

"Hi, Mr. Jonas," she greeted as she walked past the middle-aged man. "Do you have any suggestions whom I should ship my summer crops to?"

"Good day, Miss Raelyn, you're hardworking as usual," the man flipped his notebook. "Hm… Silk Country would give you a higher price for summer crops, so it seems."

She bowed slightly. "Thank you."

Raelyn walked over to Asche and in a few minutes she left with lighter shoulder but substantially heavier purse. Veronica had told her about the Seed Maker and now she was saving to purchase the blueprint; it's time to improve on quality.

"Raelyn?"

Raelyn looked up and saw Iris walking towards her. "Miss Iris," she greeted with a smile.

"Just the person I want to see," Iris smiled.

"Huh? Can I help you?"

"Oh, you certainly can!" the novelist took her hand. "You see, Raelyn, today is the Fireworks Festival~"

"Uh-huh…"

"Let me dress you up, will you?"

Raelyn could feel her cheeks suddenly became much hotter. "W-What?!"

"I cannot possibly dress Mistel up," Iris explained fluently. "And wouldn't it be good to dress up once in a while? This is a festival, after all."

"W-Well, that's…"

Raelyn held her breath when she saw Iris' clear purple eyes in front of her own. "Please…?"

* * *

Raelyn stared at the dress Iris held in front of her.

"Hm… too flashy," Iris muttered to herself before putting the dress back into the wardrobe.

The latter had asked her to come early enough to take a quick shower in their house. Raelyn initially refused, but Iris had insisted and Mistel didn't seem to mind. If anything at all, he seemed to be amused at his sister's enthusiasm.

"It's been a while since she had so much fun," he remarked. "I must thank you."

"Er… no problem, I guess…" Raelyn muttered.

For a moment, Raelyn thought of Eda. The latter wouldn't be attending the festival because she didn't really feel up to it. She had reasoned that she could still see the fireworks up from the mountain, but she insisted Raelyn to take up Iris on her offer and enjoyed the festival in her stead.

_"Granny, you're okay, right?" she had asked. "You're… healthy, right?"_

_"Of course, sweetie, ohohohoho," she laughed. "I'm fine. You just go and enjoy yourself."_

"Raelyn, how about this dress?"

Raelyn snapped back to the present and saw the dress Iris had taken out. It was mint green, knee-length sleeveless dress with white flower pattern. Raelyn smiled and nodded; somehow, she liked the combination of green and white on the dress.

* * *

After Iris was finished with dressing her up, including replacing her bandana with a white ribbon and her boots with a pair of white flat shoes. Iris was obviously delighted to find out that they had the same shoe size and Raelyn could sense future dressing-up sessions with the novelist. Iris circled her arm with hers as they walked out of the house together, with Mistel walking a few steps behind them.

Coincidentally, Klaus walked out from his house at that moment, too. He stopped when he saw their party approached and he greeted the siblings before he looked at her.

"Miss Raelyn?" he called rather hesitantly.

"Hello, Mr. Klaus," she bowed politely.

To her surprise, he smiled. "For a moment I could not recognize you."

Iris let go of her arm. "What do you think, Klaus? Doesn't this dress look _gorgeous_ on her?"

"This is a fresh change, certainly," Klaus replied with a neutral tone. "Green suits you, Miss Raelyn."

"Um… thanks," she replied, trying to suppress her blushing. Unlike her father and brothers, Klaus didn't seem to have any difficulties in complimenting her; that was, if he _was_ complimenting her.

_Goodness, this is nothing,_ she told herself. _Get over it!_

In the end, the four of them walked together to the Trade Depot, now empty to give space for fireworks watching. It was only then it occurred to her that she didn't bring any mat and she didn't want to ruin Iris' dress.

"Sit with us," Mistel said. "Our mat can fit four just fine."

"O-oh…" Raelyn glanced at the group. Iris tapped the spot behind her, next to Klaus. There was indeed enough space for her to sit down.

"Come on," she urged. "The fireworks are starting very soon."

Left with no other choice, Raelyn walked over and sat there. Just like Iris said, the first batch of fireworks was shot up a few moments after she sat down. Raelyn held her breath; she had seen fireworks in the city, sure, but the sky background was much, much clearer in this town that she could still she the stars sparkling amidst the firework blasts.

"So beautiful…" she murmured in awe.

"Isn't that so?" a voice replied.

Raelyn looked to the side—_oh, right, he's here_, she thought. He looked at her and smiled kindly. "You used to live in the city, didn't you? Don't you think the fireworks here, despite being more modest, are more beautiful?"

There they were, his golden eyes. She couldn't tear away from them; it was as if there was a spell that bound her to those eyes. Even with the fireworks display of the summer sparkling stars, his eyes still glued her when they met, especially the way it seemed to just… _glow_.

"Miss Raelyn…?"

"Oh!" she snapped in embarrassment. "I-I'm sorry, I'm just…"

"The next batch is starting," he told her. She knew he was being kind; there was no way of him not realizing that she was staring at him.

He was simply being kind.

* * *

The festival ended just before midnight. Raelyn greeted the other townspeople—those she didn't have the chance to speak to before the festival—before making her way back to her farm.

"Miss Raelyn," Klaus called just as she was about to leave the Trade Depot.

Raelyn turned and found that Klaus was making his way through the crowd. "I didn't see Madam Eda. Whom are you going back with?"

"She's not here," Raelyn affirmed. "I'm going back alone."

"That won't do," Klaus said. "Let me escort you back."

She knew, from last time, that Klaus wouldn't take no as an answer—safety reasons, he'd say—so she simply nodded and let him walked her back.

They walked past Piedmont to the grain and paddy field area and then to the mountain area. Raelyn played her skirt between her fingers, trying not to appear to be too nervous.

_Whywhywhywhy_, she thought wildly. _He's just being kind, no big deal!_

"Miss Raelyn,"

She jerked up at the call of her name. "Yes?"

"Do you have any siblings?"

"Yes," she replied without batting an eyelid. "Two elder brothers. Rex is working in the Capital while Nate is working on my family's farm… how about you, Mr. Klaus?"

There was a brief moment of silence; Raelyn thought perhaps she shouldn't ask… but he _did_—wasn't it natural to ask the same question back?

"I'm an only child," he finally broke the silence. "I've never had a younger sibling… but I guess, if I do, I'd like a sister like you."

She held her breath. "…why?"

Raelyn glanced aside and found Klaus was smiling. "I couldn't really explain myself in this case… apologies."

As they made their way up, she noticed that there was a group of fireflies floating around. As if it was the most natural thing in the world, Raelyn tugged lightly on his sleeve. "Mr. Klaus, look!" she pointed at the fireflies.

Not waiting for his response, Raelyn carefully made her way towards the fireflies. She remembered that she was supposed to keep her voice low so that she wouldn't scare the fireflies away. The pinkette carefully reached out to one of the fireflies and giggled when she felt its body brushed against her finger.

Raelyn turned around and found that Klaus was still standing there, watching her. She was too far to see that he was actually smiling, nevertheless, she smiled at him. "Aren't they beautiful, Mr. Klaus?"

"Yes," he agreed.

Raelyn, feeling bad if she kept him waiting like that, slowly made her way back to him and they continued walking. "Sorry to make you wait."

"No problem," he replied. "So long as you're not alone. It'd be very dangerous otherwise."

Raelyn nodded absent-mindedly and before long, they had reached her doorstep. "Thank you," she said, bowing slightly.

"You're welcome," Klaus replied. "Good night, Miss Raelyn."

He didn't immediately move and their eyes stayed where they were—looking into each other—longer than they had expected. Raelyn weighed her options… should she push it?

"Mr. Klaus?"

"Yes?"

She took a deep breath. "If you say… you want a little sister like me," it became harder to keep eye contact, but somehow she managed. "Why don't you call me 'Raelyn'?"

He didn't immediately answer. She didn't mean anything more than what she had explicitly stated; she thought it was a simple question. A lot of thoughts went through Raelyn's mind: _Was I being impolite? Is it too much?_

She could barely suppress her relief when Klaus broke the silence with a smile. "Raelyn, then," he said. "I'll see you around."

* * *

_Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

_Thanks for reading, please drop your review! ^^_

_A/N: just to make things clear, Raelyn came from the city, yes, but it is not the Capital where her brother lives. This is for those who thinks I'm contradicting myself because I stated in a few chapters ago that Raelyn was alone in the city after she moved out; she was, as a matter of fact. Hope this clears things up ^^_


	12. He Says: I'm Worried

_Hey everyone, I'm here with another chapter! Before you guys ask, in-game, Klaus rarely (if ever) talks about his family. So, I'll take liberty and try to expand on his background! ^^_

_Thanks for following this story and I'm very glad to read your reviews! ^^_

_Candied Snowflakes: I'm not gonna lie, I will put that scene in this story (and if I don't have a change of mind, it'd be a milestone for KlausxRaelyn). Actually, I didn't think much about the 'rivalries' part, but since you brought it up and I think it's marvellous, I'll see what I can do about it! ^^ Thanks for the idea teehee~_

_BubbleFettTea: *le gasp* I hope your head is okay and I'm guessing you're thinking of things with Eda as well?_

* * *

_"The doctor said, you would have a little sister."_

_"Really?"_

_"Really…"_

He blinked that memory away and saw the pinkette in front of him. Her earlier question echoed in his head.

_"If you say you want a sister like me… why don't you call me 'Raelyn'?"_

It was an, needless to say, unexpected offer. However, knowing her kindness, he wasn't so surprised himself. She was being herself. He didn't know how long had passed since she muttered the last syllable of her question, but judging by the faint frown on her face, it seemed that some time had passed.

He smiled. "Raelyn, then," he told her, deciding to leave his thanks for her kindness to stay between the lines. "I'll see you around."

* * *

Klaus wrapped the flowers he procured from Giorgio carefully with a black ribbon. He had been doing these for the past ten years that it had become some sort of muscle memory. He didn't even need to see the calendar to know that it was the day.

He met Iris in front of his house. She glanced at the flowers and her face looked gloom. She put her right hand above her left elbow. "The bridge, then?" she asked with a low voice.

"Yes."

They walked in silence to the bridge leading to the hillside farms, where Giorgio and Fritz were staying. Klaus threw the tied flowers to the river and watched them being carried away by the current. He clasped his hand together and closed his eyes. He could picture them in his mind: his father, stern but kind and then his mother, ever so gentle, and there was this lump in her mother's belly—what could had been his sister. As always, he kept those visions short because the longer they stayed, the bitterer they became—short and sweet, right? So he opened his eyes, cutting it short, and turned around to find Iris standing slightly behind him. "Let's go back to the town," he said.

* * *

Returning the favor, he accompanied Iris to the Trade Depot. It seemed that the newest trader, Marielle, had some yarns and cloths with her. Iris usually did some needlework in her free time, so this new addition to the Trade Depot pleased her. "Oh, right," she suddenly pointed out. "I recalled seeing Raelyn a few days ago. She was looking for yarns to knit Madam Eda a scarf."

Klaus nodded; he was not surprised at all by that. By now, everyone in the town knew that Raelyn was very close to the elderly farmer. It wasn't unusual to see Raelyn running errands for Madam Eda, most typically shipping her harvest.

"She's such a sweet girl, don't you think?"

"Yes, I think so too."

Iris finally decided on the yarn and made her purchase. They started to walk back to the town. "Speaking of Raelyn, you said you thought of her like your little sister?"

Klaus nodded. He had indeed told her about it, just like everything else about him. "I think that's the best explanation."

The novelist chuckled. "Well…" she trailed off. "She _does_ give off the little sister vibe—an adorable one at that, actually."

"She'd make a terrific protagonist in a romance novel!" she added excitedly.

Klaus chuckled. "And what kind of story you have in your head with that kind of heroine?"

She glanced aside and her eyes glinted playfully. "Why don't you give me some ideas, Klaus?" she asked coyly. "You'd make an alluring protagonist yourself, matched with the right kind of heroine."

"I'd take that as a compliment."

Iris stopped walking abruptly and pointed forward. "Klaus, what are they doing?"

Klaus looked at where she was pointing and found Raelyn stood on the platform just above the pile of lumbers next to Gunther's shop. She was trying to balance herself and there was Fritz standing behind her, cheering her on.

"What the…"

The next moment, the young woman jumped towards the pile of lumber. He had no idea where she was trying to land, but her feet ended up slipping off from the top layer of the blocks of lumber.

"Raelyn!" he dashed towards her

If he were trying to catch her before she hit the ground, he failed. She fell sideways, grazing the stone road with her arms bent protectively around her head. Two of the lumber blocks slipped to the ground as well, but luckily they didn't land on her. She rose to sit on her legs shortly and Klaus crouched so that their eyes met. She blinked in disbelief when she noticed him. "M… Mr. Klaus?"

"Are you all right?"

She looked down, avoiding his eyes, but nodded.

He stood up and offered her his hand, which she took gingerly. After helping her stand, Klaus watched as she dusted off her skirt. That was the time when Iris and Fritz caught up. Corona came out as well, most probably because of the loud sound of the lumbers falling down. "What happened?" she asked anxiously.

"May I ask what were you trying to do, jumping on the stack of lumber?"

Raelyn glanced sideways, to the nervous-looking Fritz. "I… I was told that I might get some… interesting things while doing that."

"Interesting things?"

Raelyn nodded. "Irons, glass stones… things like that."

"K-Klaus, I can explain!" Fritz butted in. "It really happens—sometimes things got slipped between the lumbers!"

Klaus folded his arms in front of his chest and squinted slightly, making his eyes looked even sharper than ever. "Are those equivalent to your own well-being?" he asked. "I know you're still very young and injuries do not hurt much, but it doesn't mean you can go around recklessly."

"R-right…" Raelyn murmured, her head bowed. "I'm sorry, Mr. Klaus."

"I'm sorry…" Fritz echoed, clearly feeling guilty himself.

Looking at their guilt-ridden faces, Klaus couldn't help but to feel bad himself. He didn't mean to come across as harsh as he might have turned out to be to her and Fritz; Fritz wasn't well-known for his common sense, after all. However, he couldn't just stand there and watch for whatever it was worth.

"In any case, it's good nobody is hurt badly!" Corona chimed in, easing the tension off. "Fritz, why don't you help me to put back the lumbers?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Fritz nodded meekly.

"You should go to the doctor, Raelyn," Corona added. "Next time, I'll ask Gunther to check for the lumbers more carefully."

"You should accompany her, Klaus," Iris whispered. "I'll see you later."

Klaus nodded and walked with Raelyn to the clinic. Thankfully, besides some minor bruises on her arms and being hit with Angela's sharp tongue, she was fine. However, she was silent throughout the examination.

_Perhaps I was indeed too harsh…_

"Raelyn," he called when they had exited the building together.

Raelyn raised her face and looked at him. "Yes…?"

"I apologize if I came across to be harsh earlier," he began. "It's just that… I'm worried."

He could see that she didn't see that one coming. After some moments to gather herself, she smiled as her cheeks turned to a faint shade of pink. "It's okay, really," she assured him. "I just… forgot, for a moment back then, how my brothers were around me."

She turned her whole body to face him and bowed politely. "Thank you for reminding me about that, Mr. Klaus," she said sincerely. "I'll be more careful from now on."

* * *

_Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review ^^_


	13. She Says: I Bet You Do

_Hi all, just to clarify one thing: what happened to Klaus' family happened more than ten years ago. What started ten years ago was him bringing flowers to the river. I guess I should clear this up hehehe_

_fantasyanimegirl283: Hi! Glad to see you again! Klaus' backstory will be released slowly as the story progress ^^_

_Candied Snowflakes: seeing that she's the way she is, it will take some time! But, on the record, I'm waiting for that moment as well! fufufufu_

_teamBLAZE: Aw, she'll come around eventually. As for Klaus' parents, I can tell you that there is no drowning involved. He's just throwing the flowers into the river because it feels like it will reach them somehow? (same way like sometimes people attached a letter to their deceased loved one to a balloon and then let it go)_

_BubbleFettTea: whops! Double apology! *place the bandage back* Like I said, she (they, in this case) will come around! *wink*_

_tootertay: I wonder about that too HAHAHA_

_CrimsoonCrush: Tbh I'm still thinking on how Raelyn knows about that hahahaha I'll think of something_

* * *

"Brother?" Raeger echoed amusedly as he watched Raelyn beating the eggs for the omelet rice. "He does have that elder brother feel about him, so I guess that can't be helped."

Raelyn pouted slightly but not tearing away her attention from her beaten eggs. "Why it feels that you're making fun of me?"

"I'm not," Raeger said. "Why would you feel that way?"

She huffed. "Forget it."

Raelyn could hear the chef chuckled and looked up. His face was even redder than when she came in. She cocked her head aside. "Are you sure you're all right?" she asked. Actually, Raelyn had a feeling that Raeger wasn't feeling well when she stepped into the restaurant and saw him, but he insisted that he was fine.

"I'm fine," the chef replied dismissively. "It's just a bit warm in here."

Raelyn frowned. The kitchen was indeed warm—and it was summer—but it shouldn't be enough to make his face flushing that way. Raeger took two bottles and slid it over to Raelyn. "There's the salt and pepper."

Raelyn took one of the bottles and read the label. "Raeger…" she hesitated. "It's oregano."

Raeger gasped. "Really? Ah, I'm sorry…"

Raelyn looked at the clock nearby. The restaurant was still in business hour. There was no customer currently, but she knew some people who came by late to have their dinner peacefully, away from the dinner rush. "Do you need any help?"

"Hm?" He turned to face her. He seemed to weigh his option, but his head was so heavy that he couldn't help it anymore. "Actually, that would be great…"

Raelyn smiled. "I won't let you down!"

Just as she said that, the bell chimed and she turned towards the counter. "Welcome!"

"Raelyn…?"

Raelyn was slightly taken aback. She didn't expect Klaus, from all people, to show up. "Good evening, Mr. Klaus."

While both of them were frozen in a mix of shock and disbelief, Raeger—ever the workaholic—had prepared Klaus' usual order in his usual place. "Wine and cheese," Raeger said. "This way, Klaus."

Klaus took a deep breath and nodded. "Right, thank you, Raeger."

Afterwards, Raelyn smoothly took over Raeger as waitress/cashier. She was so immersed in her work that she didn't realize every time a female customer came in, she was glared at nor did she realize that every time she was nearby, Klaus would watch her movement. As for the latter, it wasn't so obvious—at least not as obvious as the female customers glaring—so it was no wonder that she didn't notice.

Klaus rose from his seat after he finished his wine and gave an exact payment. "Thank you, come again!" She bowed politely and he chuckled silently before leaving.

When the closing time had passed and the last customer left, Raelyn turned the door sign to 'Close'. Just as she did that, she heard the sound of something heavy fell on the floor and turned to see Raeger lying unconscious on the floor.

"Raeger!"

* * *

Somehow, she managed to help Raeger to the second floor, his house, laid him down on his bed and then wrapped him in the blanket. She found a cloth and dampened it with cold water before putting it on his forehead.

_Oh, gosh… I should've known sooner that he is sick! What should I do now… oh, right, Dr. Marian!_

Raelyn hurriedly turned but she was being held back. She turned around and found Raeger, with his half-opened eyes and flushed face. "Where… are you going?"

"I'll call Dr. Marian. It's just for a moment."

Raeger shook his head. "I'm okay."

She shook his hand off her. "You're totally _not_." She turned around again and walked towards the stairs, but then she heard the young man muttered. "…mom…"

"Huh?" Raelyn blinked. After a moment, she decided to get back to Raeger. Last time (with Klaus), Iris was there to look after him when she went to get the doctor, but this time, there were only the two of them. Perhaps she shouldn't leave him behind? In the end, she walked back to his bedside. "Raeger…" she called carefully.

He shuffled and turned his body to face her. The cloth on his forehead fell when he did that, so she fixed it for him. "You really sound like a mom, just now," he said. "Although I wouldn't know much about it."

"Sorry?"

"I hadn't met my mother for a long time since I was sent to stay here with my grandpa," he said weakly. "I… couldn't remember much about her."

Raelyn held her breath.

"Tell me about your mom…"

"Huh?" Raelyn looked at Raeger and was greeted back with his warm blue eyes.

"I want to know about your mom, if that's okay with you."

Raelyn was torn; should she really tell him?

_But it was he who asked me…_ she thought. Eventually, she took a nearby chair and sat next to him. "My mother… has the same pink hair like I do, but hers is better—straight, not a mess of waves like mine. She's tough and her words can be quite harsh, but she is very kind."

Raelyn continued with her story until she was sure that Raeger was in deep sleep. She rose and fixed his blanket and damp cloth.

_He must be hungry when he woke up._

Hoping that he wouldn't be mad at her, Raelyn cooked some porridge and left in on the stove—turned off, of course—and left him a note: _Here's some porridge if you're hungry._

After cleaning up the kitchen, the pinkette stepped out from the restaurant. Much to her surprise, there was someone sitting on a nearby bench: Klaus. She carefully made her way towards him. "Mr. Klaus?"

He looked up and met her eyes. "Oh, Raelyn… have you been in the restaurant until just now?"

She nodded. "Raeger is running a fever," she said. "Thank goodness tomorrow is Wednesday."

"Ah, right…" Klaus rose from the bench and walked beside her. This time, there was no word needed between them; he would walk her home.

"Raeger… he has quite a number of admirers," Klaus noted as they walked to the Piedmont.

"I guess so…" Raelyn said. "But, I bet you do, too, Mr. Klaus."

"Hm?"

"Admirers," the pinkette emphasized, not realizing her own acerbic undertone. "You must have a lot of admirers, Mr. Klaus."

Klaus laughed. "What makes you think that way?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Raelyn asked back. "You're a gentleman, good-looking, and your job is really one of a kind and you're good at it."

"That's just what I appear to be," Klaus remarked. "You have heard the saying… don't judge a book by its cover, right?"

Raelyn watched the dirt road they were walking on. She began to wonder what did he mean by his words, although she must admit that there were some truths in them.

"Which reminds me, Raelyn, I have to caution you."

She looked up. "Huh?"

"You should be more careful towards… people," Klaus chose his words carefully. "It doesn't mean that you should stop being kind. It's just that there are people who would take advantage of your kindness, especially men… seeing that you're a beautiful young lady."

"What are you talking about, Mr. Klaus?"

He stopped walking, so she did too. At that time, they already reached the mountain area. She craned her neck and lifted her chin to get a good look at his face. His golden eyes seemed to glow even more with the scenery.

"Raelyn…"

There were some fireflies around them, glowing and floating. His eyes slightly looked like them in her eyes.

"If you're not careful, you can be eaten by a big, bad wolf, you know?"

She blinked several times to get her senses back. "But, Mr. Klaus," she said. "I've never seen a wolf in this area."

They stayed that way for a moment, before Klaus broke into a soft chuckle. "You're right," he said. "I apologize. I couldn't hold myself back with the warning earlier."

"Huh?"

Klaus patted her head. "Just be careful, okay?"

She smiled. "Sure I will," she said. "But, I know I'm always safe when you're with me… right, Mr. Klaus?"

He seemed not to be expecting that. Nevertheless, he quickly regained his composure and replied. "Of course."

* * *

_Stay tuned for the next chapter! Thanks for reading!_

_Please rate and review ^^_


	14. He Says: It's Chemistry

_Hi everyone! I'm so sorry for this long due update! TT I'm currently quite busy with my non-writing commitments, but I'll try my best not to make you guys wait too long! Thank you for your patience and I hope this chapter makes it up to all of you ^^_

_Disclaimer: The latter part of this scene is adapted, with permission, from Miss Kitty DeMarco's story In Sheep's Clothing. The song, which I do not own, is Brian McKnight's Back at One_

_Without further ado, enjoy!_

* * *

_Chemistry: the branch of science concerned with the substances of which a matter is composed, the investigation of their properties and reactions, and the use of such reactions to form new substances._

* * *

One thing that mesmerized Klaus during his first few years studying Chemistry was titration. He often found himself in awe when the solution turned into a different color when it reached the endpoint. It was nothing special, he'd know later, but it still fascinated him.

Now a perfumer, he sometimes fell back to his titration method while mixing concentrates together. The endpoint in this case would not be the point where the acid or alkali was completely neutralized, but the point where a new, derivative scent could be drawn from the two concentrates. As a perfumer, Klaus indeed specialized in fixing derivative scents, which made his scents had an added depth, lending to its complexity.

"Klaus,"

He turned and it appeared that Iris was already standing behind him with arms crossed. Her dress today was slightly more elaborate that her daily ones and she put her hair into a neat bun instead of letting it loose. "You know what day is today, do you not?"

Klaus glanced at the calendar. "Right," he mused. "Music Festival."

She smiled. "Let's get going, mister."

They walked over to the dining room and Klaus was surprised to find that Iris was not alone after all. Raelyn rose up from her seat and bowed politely. "Hello," she greeted.

Klaus noticed that Raelyn was dressing up today—must be courtesy of Iris. The woman indeed had her fun in dressing the younger lady up; he remembered Iris mentioned how Raelyn had the same body shape—whatever it could mean—with her, hence it was easy to find the dresses that would match her.

Today, Raelyn wore a soft yellow dress with sleeves that covered her upper arms. Just like the dress she wore back in spring, the sleeves were made from a slightly transparent material: enough for him to see the outlines of her toned arms. The skirt reached just right below her knees and she wore a matching pair of pumps. Her hair was put into a braid that she draped on her left shoulder; Klaus did notice that Raelyn had a preference to use her left hand.

"Um… I told Miss Iris that this was not necessary," she stuttered. "I mean, well…"

Her voice snapped Klaus back to reality and he finally realized that he had been improperly staring at her, embarrassing the already shy girl. "Ah, I apologize," he said immediately. "I must have made you feel uncomfortable."

"N-no!" she blushed furiously. "Well, I…"

"Sorry to interrupt," Iris said. "As much as I _love_ to see your adorably sweet interaction to one another, we might need to make our way very soon to get the best spots."

Iris' suggestion was met by a quick agreement from the other parties; Klaus pretended not to notice her teasing while poor Raelyn blushed even more at her words. It was adorable, he must admit—never had he seen someone like her.

Klaus opened the door and allowed the two ladies to make their way first. Mistel, just like any other year, would be performing so he should already be there since morn.

"Raelyn, have you met Agate?" Iris asked on the way.

"Yes, Madam Veronica introduced us."

"She's back?" Klaus asked. "I've never seen her around."

"That's because you're too busy with your test tubes and Erlenmeyer flasks."

"Well, it's a new season."

Klaus then found that Raelyn was staring at him intently. "But, you are well, are you not?" she asked earnestly. Her tone was so sincere that he couldn't suppress his smile at that.

"I am, Raelyn," he said. "Thanks for your concern."

They reached the Trade Depot at the same time with Fritz-Raeger duo. From the looks of their face, Klaus could tell that they were mesmerized by Raelyn's appearance.

"Woah, Raelyn! You look _soooo_ pretty!" Fritz said. "We really hafta dance!"

"Dance…?"

"After the concert, there would be a dance," Raeger explained. "A bachelorette's first dance is important, if you know what I mean." He smiled suggestively at the end of his sentence, sending another rush of blush to her cheeks.

His protective instincts—or what he would like to think as such—kicked in, but thankfully he could keep it at bay.

In the end, he sat together with Iris and Agate while Raelyn sat on the bench in front of his, between Fritz and Raeger, placing her directly in front of Iris. Before the concert started, Iris leaned over to him and whispered:

"Do you want to do the dance… slightly differently this year?"

Each year, Klaus and Iris would give their first dance to each other—hence the speculations of them dating. Iris was a marvelous partner; they had danced together for years that they understood each other's gestures and sometimes just one look to each other's eyes was all they needed.

"By differently, you mean?"

"Different partner, of course," she smiled teasingly. "Like Raeger said, a bachelorette's first dance is important, especially this is her first dance in this town, _literally_."

Klaus glanced over to Raelyn's—her back profile, to be exact. She seemed to have a conversation with Raeger, too, but he couldn't tell what they were talking about. "There is Raeger," he noted. "I reckon he'd be more than happy to be her first partner… and Fritz, too."

"Aw, I can take care of them if you want me to," Iris told him. "Don't make lame excuses. Do you or do you not want it?"

"Well…"

Without waiting for him any longer, Iris leaned over to the other side and whispered something to Agate. The latter nodded a few times and grinned. "Leave it to me!" he could hear her say.

* * *

After the concert was concluded, they moved the benches to the side. All the musicians stayed on stage together with another man that would be the singer. He had been the singer two years ago too, and Klaus remembered many were mesmerized by his voice.

The piano started playing and Klaus recognized it almost immediately. Iris, true to her words, walked over to Raeger and asked him for a dance. He didn't seem to expect the offer, but ever the gentleman, he accepted it graciously and they became the first couple to grace the dance floor to the surprise of many. At that time, Agate approached Fritz and soon, they were dancing, too.

Slowly, the center of the Depot was filled by couples dancing to the romantic song. Giorgio and Marian was the third couple, followed by Lillie and a young man he occasionally saw in town visiting her. Iris passed over to where he was and glanced meaningfully, before directing her eyes to Raelyn.

He glanced at her, standing alone watching the others dancing to the song. Finally, Klaus gathered up his courage—more than he was willing to admit—and walked up to her.

"Would you like to dance with me?"

She held her breath and looked at him, her round, deep wine eyes reflecting her disbelief. After some moments, however, she took his hand and they glided together to the center of the Depot just in time with the chorus. He put his free hand lightly on the curve of her waist while she draped hers on his shoulder—their height difference prevented her to put it on his shoulder blade.

_One, you're like a dream come true_

_Two, just wanna be with you_

_Three, girl it's plain to see that you're the only one for me_

_And four, repeat steps one to three_

(Klaus chuckled at this; it really sounded like a typical instruction in the later part of a titration.)

_Five, make you fall in love with me_

_If I ever believe my work is done_

_Then I'll start back at one_

He looked into his face, studying her features. Somehow, it just felt right to share this dance, to this song, with her. Of course, it felt nothing like dancing with Iris, she occasionally stumbled. He held her hand slightly tighter, but still gently, so every time she was about to fall, he was there to hold her up. She slowly relaxed herself in his arms and they moved even more smoothly.

He enjoyed this dance, more than he could ever imagine. That moment, nothing mattered to him: not the fact that he had more submissions to go, not the fact that she was born during his most rebellious period, not the fact that people were looking at him, at this unlikely couple.

She was here, with him, and she felt right in his arms. It needed some polishing, but it felt like he found the piece of puzzle that fit just right in his life.

He might have a good idea of what it was.

"It's chemistry…" he mused, louder than he expected.

She looked up quizzically at him. "Chemistry?" she asked in a low voice.

He took a moment to ponder as to how he should respond, now that she had heard him. Finally, he settled with the word: "Us."

She beamed into a smile as a faint blush appeared on her cheeks. "Us," she echoed, and he knew it couldn't be any truer than that.

* * *

_Chemistry: the complex emotional or psychological interaction between people._

* * *

_How do you find this chapter?_

_Thanks for reading!_

_Please rate and review ^^_


	15. She Says: Don't Say That

_Hi everyone, I'm back with another chapter! Thanks for the reviews, follows and favorites! I thought that the references to Chemistry would suit Klaus and Raelyn since Klaus is a perfumer and I'm glad that you guys didn't think it was weird hahaha_

_By the way, I know in the game we got our horse from Elise and it was reddish-brown. However, in this story, Raelyn got her horse from Eda. Read on to find out more. ^^_

* * *

Raelyn sat down on the ground, leaning back on the barn wall, with her hands busy with the knitting needles. Her animals were grazing happily under the gentle autumn sun, so she figured she could kill two birds with one stone by doing her knitting while watching them.

"Yo, Raelyn!"

Raelyn looked up—her fingers momentarily stopped—and she saw Fritz walking up the path to her farm. She carefully laid down her knitting project and stood up, waving back at the redhead. "Hey, Fritz," she greeted. "How can I help you?"

"Are you coming to the festival today?"

"Festival—oh, right…" Today was the Fall Fashion Fiesta. "I'll pass."

"Hm? I thought you girls love those kind of events with all cutesy clothes and stuff."

"Not this time, Fritz," Raelyn replied. "Granny hasn't been feeling well. I'm gonna stay."

Fritz face turned glum, but he quickly picked himself up. "You wanna me to accompany you?"

The pinkette shook her head. "You go enjoy the festival."

Fritz pouted, then he noticed the bundle of white yarn and partially-done scarf. "You're knitting?"

Raelyn nodded. "Granny's scarf's old and torn," she told him. "I have to finish this before winter."

"Right," Fritz nodded. "Well, good luck, then!"

Raelyn continued knitting after Fritz left. She diligently put one stitch after another until she felt the sun slowly moved towards the western horizon. She looked at her watch; it was still four in the afternoon, but she had to herd Eda's animals besides her own. It's better to put them back in slightly earlier rather than leaving them out until late.

_Time to put them back in_, she thought. She put her knitting into her bag and went over to the coop area. After all chicken was back and accounted for, she whistled to call her horse, Yin. Eda offered her the mare last summer after she had three cows in her farm so that she could herd them better. She climbed onto the mare adroitly and took out the bell from her bag. She rung the bell as she rode her horse around the barrier of the grazing area.

_Cling! Cling!_

After she managed to attract their attention, Raelyn moved to the barn door and rang the bell there, enticing her livestock to go towards the door. Once they reached there, more often than not, they would enter the barn on their own.

As she waited for the last of the animals to go in, Raelyn saw someone walking towards her farm. She leaned forward to get a better looked and waved when she realized who he was. "Mr. Klaus!"

The pinkette trotted towards the raven-haired man and dismounted when they were face to face. "Hi, Raelyn." He looked at her horse. "Such a fine horse," he commented.

Raelyn beamed into a smile. "This is Yin, she's been helping me to put the animals back in the barn."

"I see…"

"How can I help you?" she asked. "I'm sure you have something to do, going uphill on a festival day."

"You missed the festival, so I—Iris asked me to—come by to check if everything is all right with you," Klaus replied. "Plus, I have something to give to Madam Eda."

Klaus took a small package from his pocket and showed it to Raelyn. She could smell a faint scent of lavender. "Aromatherapy oil?" she guessed.

"You're right," he replied while putting the package back into his pocket. "Marian told me it might help her to relax."

"I really hope so," Raelyn replied. "She has been feeling unwell lately."

The thought weighted on her. However, remembering that Klaus was there, Raelyn pushed all her gloomy thoughts to the back of her head and smiled. "In that case, let's go to Granny's place together," she said. "I have to herd her animals back as well."

"I'd love to."

* * *

They walked together towards Eda's farm, with Yin following closely behind her mistress. Eda greeted both of them happily and invited them for some tea. Raelyn figured it couldn't hurt to accompany the elderly woman before she put the animals back, so she gestured Yin to head towards the grazing area before her.

When Raelyn walked into the house, she realized that the sink was filled with unwashed dishes, which was unusual for Eda. The latter realized that as well: "Don't worry, sweetie, I'll wash them later."

The young woman took out her gardening gloves and put them in her apron pocket. "No, it's okay, I'll clear them now," she replied. "I'll prepare the tea as well, so Granny could just sit down and have a nice chat with Mr. Klaus."

"Sweetie…"

Raelyn moved over to the table and pulled out the chair directly across Klaus. "I insist, Granny," she said. "You haven't met Mr. Klaus for quite some time, have you not?"

Eda sighed, but clearly touched by the gesture. "If you say so…" she said, sitting down on the chair Raelyn had pulled out.

After making sure that both Eda and Klaus had settled comfortably, Raelyn quickly boiled some water and prepared the teapot; she had been familiar with the layout of Eda's house thanks to her frequent visit. While waiting for the water, she washed the dishes on the sink. The pinkette was so immersed in her work that she didn't notice that neither Klaus nor Eda was talking after a brief chat of general things; he was watching her cautiously while Eda was watching him.

Raelyn finished just in time when the water was ready. She served the tea on the table together with a jar of cookies and sat next to Eda. "Thank you, dearie."

"It's nothing, Granny," Raelyn replied. "You can just call me over every time you need help."

"I'm very fortunate to have you as my neighbor," Eda mused. "If anything happens to me, I know you'll take good care of this farm."

Her words felt like a bolt of lightning out of nowhere. "Don't say that," Raelyn retorted. "It's just a slight flu, you'll be fine in no time."

She stared right into Eda's dark eyes. She could see the deep wrinkles on the corner of her eyes as well as her smiling lines. Her back was slightly hunched, but not so much, proof of the hard work and every illness that came and went. More than that, Raelyn knew that Eda had been paler by day—and today was no exception. "It's just flu, Granny," she insisted. "I'll put the animals back."

She stood up and left without saying anything else.

* * *

Raelyn put the chicken back one by one to the coop first, then she called Yin. Eda had at least doubled the amount of her livestock, so she guessed that it would take some time to put them back in—not to mention that some of her animals could be quite hard to be herded because they had the tendency to be agitated easily.

Raelyn had just mounted onto Yin when she saw Klaus walked towards her. She tilted her head slightly to the side, _What's he doing here?_

Klaus calmly jumped over the fence and approached her. "Let me help you," he said, showing her a bell in his hand. "Madam Eda lent me her horse and bell."

Klaus walked into the barn and he came out already mounted on Eda's black stallion that happened to be Yin's twin brother, Yang. Raelyn looked at him; he looked so good on a horse, much like a prince (although his horse was not his nor white). She remembered he told her that he used to be a competitive rider during his school days, but still, she didn't expect him to look so dashing when he sat with his back and broad shoulders straight on the equally elegant stallion.

"What should I do next?"

His question snapped her back and she blushed slightly, embarrassed by her own thoughts. Raelyn briefly explained to him of what they would be doing and in no time, Klaus was trotting around the grazing area on Yang, ringing the bell as he went. Due to his help, they were finished faster than she had expected earlier.

"It seems that this horse hasn't gone out much."

Raelyn nodded. "I took her for some rides now and then, but, yeah, not recently."

Klaus looked at the sky. "Why don't we go on a ride, then?" he offered. "It's not dark yet."

The pinkette thought on his offer. Truthfully, Eda's words earlier really bugged her.

"Change of scenery would certainly soothe your soul," he continued.

Raelyn pondered on his words and finally nodded. "Okay…"

* * *

The two of them rode slowly towards the forest. Earlier this season, a lake was uncovered in that area. Raelyn knew that there was a small witch taking up residence there, but she didn't tell anybody. If somebody else knew, he or she certainly kept his or her peace as well. She took a breath and felt the scent of barks and leaves; it was not unusual, but no less calming.

"She didn't mean to upset you," Klaus said carefully.

Raelyn glanced at him. Their height difference was made worse since Yin was slightly shorter than her twin. "I know…" she finally said. "It's just that… I just wished she didn't say it."

"It's not something pleasant to listen to, I agree," Klaus said. "But she was being realis—"

Raelyn gripped the rein of her horse so tightly that she could feel the leather pressed tightly against her palms. She accidentally pulled on it, causing Yin to interpret it as a command to stop. "Say no more, Mr. Klaus," she interjected—for the first time during their acquaintance she showed such an intense emotion besides shyness. "She gave Yang to you, did she not?"

Klaus didn't immediately answer her, but that in itself was an answer.

"How could she do that?" she asked, her voice hoarse as tears began to fall.

* * *

_Thanks for reading!_

_Please rate and review ^^_


	16. He Says: All The Best

_Hi everyone! Here is another chapter for all of you! ^^ This is quite a short chapter, and initially I don't even know what should I put as the title... well, in any case, enjoy! ^^_

* * *

Klaus walked towards the Trade Depot with Iris; Mistel decided to wait for Agate, so they needed to pick up a good spot first. Klaus was generally neutral towards the Harvest Festival, but today he seemed to be more eager to attend and Iris didn't miss that.

"I haven't seen Raelyn for a while," she said softly. "She doesn't go out much, does she?"

"I guess so…"

The memory of their last encounter played again in his head; he often thought of that these days. Although in the end he returned Yang to Eda's stable, he knew that she wasn't fooled. Truth to be told, he didn't know whether she would participate in this season's Harvest Festival; he heard from Marian that Eda's condition wasn't really good. However, today's weather was good, although one could already sense the advent of winter.

The first thing he noticed when they finally entered the Trade Depot was her pink hair. She stood together Otmar and Eda. He noticed that Eda was wearing a white scarf, perhaps so that she could stand today's breeze. Iris nudged at him, gesturing to him to greet her, but he wasn't going alone; they went together towards the trio and greeted them.

"Madam Eda, it's very nice to see you attending this festival," Iris said with a bright, but not less elegant smile.

"Ohohoho Raelyn is competing today so I want to give my support." Her voice was weak, but there was an unmistakable excitement in it.

"Oh, she is?" Iris glanced at Raelyn. "Good luck, Raelyn! I'll be rooting for you!"

The young woman blushed slightly and giggled. "Thank you, Miss Iris."

It was then his eyes met hers. Her initial demeanor suggested nothing of the turmoil she showed him two weeks ago that he began to wonder whether what had happened that day was a dream in its entirety. However, judging how guarded she seemed to be when he caught her gaze implied otherwise.

Their silence seemed to freeze others surrounding them, catching on the awkwardness that they emanated. Iris, ever the best friend, nudged Klaus to alert him. He gasped and quickly blurted out: "All the best, Raelyn."

"A-Ah, yes… thank you, Mr. Klaus."

"We'll be watching from the side."

She nodded. "Mm-hmm."

He muttered a quick 'see you later' to them and pulled Iris aside. "Hey, did you guys get into a fight or something?" Iris whispered. "Is there something between you guys you're not telling me?"

"It's not a fight, technically," he replied. "It's just…"

"Just?"

"Madam Eda gave a stallion to me," he said in a low voice. "…it seems that it's a prized possession of hers, so Raelyn…"

"Thought Madam Eda is starting to distribute her inheritance?"

"Yes."

Iris frowned. "Well… I can't blame either of them."

"Neither do I."

Veronica's announcement that the festival was starting cut their conversation off—not that they had much else to talk about in that matter, anyway. The guild master introduced the contestant; none of the local farmers except for Raelyn participated in the in Vegetables category; Elise and Giorgio competed in Flowers category while Fritz went for the Fruits category instead.

This was the first time Raelyn participated in the Harvest Festival; the last summer, she wasn't confident enough to make an entry and settled by simply being an audience. This season, it was clear that she was determined to win. Klaus didn't understand much about farming; how to distinguish excellent from mediocre crops, the difference between each type of fertilizer, and so on, but that didn't stop him to root for Raelyn.

Elise and Giorgio, both veteran in flowers cultivation (although Klaus preferred to take his samples from the latter since he specialized in flowers while Elise didn't), seemed to have best their competitors; the suspense was only who was the winner between the two of them.

On the other hand, Fritz was fired up to take the trophy home, as always. However, the judge didn't seem to be impressed by his entry—which wasn't entirely a new thing either.

There was a recess between the display and the announcement. It was usually the time for the villagers, who had been keeping their peace ever since the start of the festival, to mingle with the others—including the farmers. Raelyn went back to Eda and Otmar; Klaus couldn't hear what they were talking about, but it seemed that Eda and Otmas were reassuring her about her entry.

"Really can't take your eyes off her, huh?"

Klaus abruptly turned to see Iris smirking teasingly at him. "I'm just… worried," he told her honestly. His mind wandered back to what Eda had told him half a season ago.

_"I know you will take a very good care of Raelyn… that's why I trust you with Yang."_

Iris put a comforting hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently. "There's nothing you can do about it…"

A short while later, Veronica came back on stage with the plump judge. "We will now announce the winner of each category," she said. "On Flower category, we have… Giorgio! Elise came in second, followed by Aida and Otto."

There was a round of applause and Giorgio walked up on stage. Veronica continued after the applause quieted down.

"On Fruits, we have Marcia! The runner up is Mia, followed by Fritz and Freddy." Marcia walked up on stage with another round of applause.

"Now, for Crops category, we have… Raelyn! Our runner up would be Johnny, followed by Leah and Chin."

Everyone looked at Raelyn, clapping at her, and Eda nudged the young farmer to move. Klaus watched as the pinkette made her way to the stage in disbelief that she had actually won as he clapped together with everyone else. Fritz actually whistled out loud when Raelyn took the steps towards the stage and she blushed. After the applause died down, Veronica announced the winner for the Miscellaneous category as well, which was won by someone from the neighboring town.

After the winners were gathered on stage, Veronica and Matsuba called them one by one to receive their respective prize. Giorgio received a package of high quality seeds and some specialized fertilizers for flowers, which greatly pleased him. The winner of the Fruits category received a cocoa tree seedling which was, according to Matsuba the judge, hard to get. Raelyn's prize for winning the Vegetable category was a package of Andes Potato seed.

When Raelyn was about to receive her prize from Matsuba, she glanced at Eda's direction. Suddenly, she held her breath and cried out: "Granny!"

Ignoring everyone on stage, Raelyn immediately jumped down from the stage and dashed towards Eda. Everyone looked at where she was heading; Eda had fainted. Marian, alerted by Raelyn's scream, ran towards the elderly woman as well.

Klaus could only froze at where he was.

* * *

_Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

_Thanks for reading!_

_Please rate and review ^^_


	17. She Says: I'll Try

_fantasyanimegirl283: Thanks for the compliments! Initially I was afraid that this was too slow but I'm much encouraged by quite a number of reviews, including yours of course, stated they like the slow pace of their relationship ^^ As for Raelyn, expect more sides of her to come out in future chapters! Expected or not, rather than OOC, I'd rather say that Raelyn is quite a complex personality with many layers... well, I guess don't just take my word on it. I guess it's best to leave the judging to the readers, right?_

* * *

Raelyn followed Marian and Angela who rushed Eda to the Clinic, completely forgetting about the ceremony and the prize she was supposed to receive. There were Fritz and Otmar, too. Angela urged them to wait nearby the doctor's desk and there was nothing they could do or say when she drew the curtain surrounding Eda's bed; completely blocking their view.

She folded her fingers together and shut her eyes.

_Please, Harvest Goddess, save Granny!_

She repeated the prayer again and again, only stopping when she heard the metal hooks that held the curtain slid across the railing. She was the first to spring on her feet. "Dr. Marian! How's Granny?"

"Yeah, how's she?!"

"She's well, isn't she?"

Raelyn hoped that Dr. Marian would grin as say—of course she's fine—or anything along that line, but instead his face looked solemn. "She's still breathing for now… but I can't be sure."

Hearing that, Raelyn held her breath and tears. "Oh, no…" she murmured.

Fritz slumped back to the chair, groaning, while old Otmar chose not to say anything, his head bowed down.

Angela emerged behind the doctor. "Mr. Otmar, I think you should go home now… I'll update you on Madam Eda's condition if there's any change."

The old man nodded. "You're right, Angie, I'll go back."

"The same goes for you, Fritz and Raelyn."

"Okay…"

"May I stay?" Raelyn asked. "My farm is far uphill… I'd rather stay with Granny."

Angela glanced at Marian, who finally said: "I'm staying overnight here as well, the more the merrier!"

The pinkette forced herself to smile. "Thanks…"

Just a short while after Otmar and Fritz left, Veronica entered the Clinic. "How's everything?"

"She's stable… for now."

Despite the doctor's best effort not to be loud, Raelyn heard the last the words and her heart clenched. The guild master walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "You're going to stay here, aren't you? At the very least, you should eat."

"You can eat with us," Angela suggested.

Raelyn shook her head. "No, I'm okay… the three of you should eat… I'll stay here."

"Raelyn…"

"Someone has to keep on watch, right?" she insisted. "I'm fine, Madam Veronica."

The guild master sighed in defeat and nodded. "I will send some food."

Raelyn bowed her head. "Thank you very much."

The three of them went out from the Clinic; Raelyn could hear their footsteps getting further away. She moved to sit next to Eda's bed and touched her hand; it was cold.

"Granny…" she murmured. "Please wake up…?"

Her stomach was rumbling quietly and Raelyn sighed. She had to stay.

A moment later, someone knocked the door; it couldn't be Veronica, Angela, or Marian since they would just walk in.

"Is there anyone inside?"

_Mr. Klaus?_ Raelyn walked towards the door and opened it slightly. "If you're looking for the doctor, I believe he's eating upstairs."

Klaus smiled. "I'm looking for you."

Raelyn opened the door slightly wider so they could see each other full body. "Me?" she asked. "Anything I could help?"

Klaus showed the wrapped lunch box he was carrying. "Raeger asked me to give it to you while he goes over to Fritz's."

"I bet you haven't eaten, have you?"

Raelyn was about to decline when her stomach took charge and grumbled louder than before. She blushed as Klaus smiled understandingly. "I'm sure Marian wouldn't mind you to eat inside of the clinic. It's rice rolls, so it should be easy to eat."

"How about you, Mr. Klaus?" she asked. "Have you eaten?"

"I haven't."

"Let's eat together, then."

Klaus took a moment to ponder before agreeing. They sat on the chairs near the desk and Raelyn carefully unwrapped the lunch box while Klaus set down the thermal flask with iced tea. There was only one pair of chopsticks and the girl offered it to the older man. "You should use it."

"No, it's fine," Klaus declined politely as he wiped his hands with his handkerchief. "You should."

Raelyn could smell a slight scent of coffee from the piece of fabric, which wasn't a surprise at all. Feeling bad for him, Raelyn put the chopsticks away and took her own handkerchief, which smelled just like coffee as well and wiped her hands. Somehow, the knowledge of them having the same scents on their handkerchiefs brought this warm and fuzzy feeling in her heart… like the feeling of knowing that this was their own secret code.

"You're not using the chopsticks?" he asked.

Raelyn shook her head. "It isn't fair."

She put the box between them and took the first slice; it smelled of seaweed, rice, cucumber and crabstick. Klaus followed soon after. They ate in silence, which Raelyn appreciated greatly. Her thoughts went back to Eda from time to time, but having Klaus in front of her was just calming.

"Raelyn…"

She looked up at Klaus quizzically. "Yes?"

"There's a rice grain stuck near your mouth." Before Raelyn could react, Klaus reached out to her and brushed the corner of her lips lightly and she could feel the grain of rice rolled across her skin before being removed. It was a simple gesture, very much like how her brothers would look after her, but when it was Klaus her heart almost literally went into an overdrive.

"Raelyn honeeey~ I come with some soups~"

Raelyn gasped and turned around almost simultaneously with Klaus pulling his hand back. Marian stopped just in front of the door when he noticed the additional visitor. "Oh, Klaus, I'm not expecting you!"

"Marian—"

The doctor smirked and flicked his free hand. "Mm, mm, say no further, I'm sorry for interrupting your dinner date," he said. "Although I'd say Raeger's place is more conducive than my office… you sly old wolf." Marian winked at the end of his sentence and Raelyn's blush couldn't be more obvious.

"It's not a date," Klaus told him calmly. "Raeger asked me to deliver this to her and she offered to share it, is all."

Marian laughed. "You know I'm just messing with you," he said good-naturedly. "And Raelyn honey, it's nice to see your gloomy expression has been replaced with something better."

Raelyn looked away, blushing, not able to deny what the doctor had pointed out.

It was then they heard the sound of the bed sheet rustling. Marian immediately put down the bowl and rushed over to Eda's bed together with Raelyn and Klaus.

"Granny!" Raelyn squealed in delight when she saw that the elderly woman was conscious.

Eda chuckled meekly and scooted up. Marian and Raelyn came to her assistance and leaned the pillow upright against the headboard so she could sit more comfortably. "I must've worried you, I'm sorry…" she said. "But I'm so happy you've won. You've done me proud."

Raelyn grinned as her eyes glistened with tears of relief.

"Let's go home, sweetheart."

Raelyn cocked her head to the side. "But, Granny… are you sure? The way back is long…"

"Oh, of course I am! Nothing beats the warmth of a home, right?"

"But…"

"You could use one of the town's steed," Klaus suggested.

"That's a great idea!" Marian agreed. "I'll come along just to check things out."

There was a brief silence before Klaus turned to Raelyn. "Let's go and ask Madam Veronica's permission."

Raelyn nodded and they left the room together.

* * *

Veronica allowed them to borrow the horses as long as they were returned to the origin station before night. Since there was no way Raelyn would leave, Klaus agreed to come along. Veronica asked them to prepare the horses on the town's station as she went to visit Eda. "Won't it be too much of a bother?" Raelyn asked as they took two of the available three horses in the station. "I mean… we could just call Fritz over."

"It's fine with me," Klaus replied. "I'm worried about you as well."

"Huh?"

"We shouldn't let them wait," he reminded her. "Let's go."

They led the horses back to the Guild's building where Marian and Eda had been waiting together with Veronica and Angela. Klaus and Raelyn mounted the horses first and Marian chose to ride with Klaus while Angela and Veronica helped Eda to mount Raelyn's steed.

"We'll head off."

"Please be careful," Angela cautioned.

* * *

They rode slowly side by side. Raelyn was being extra careful in riding, sometimes asking how Eda was doing since she couldn't see her behind her back. However, she could feel her weight since the old woman was leaning against her back.

"Sweetheart, you must take care of the farm well," Eda said suddenly.

Raelyn's grip on the rein tightened, but she held her emotions at bay and replied. "Yes, Granny."

"But… don't be too caught up with work, dearie," she reminded. "They will_ never _be finished… you have to stop yourself from working from time to time."

"Okay…"

"Eat well, sleep well… don't shy away from town's festival."

"…I'll try."

"Sweetheart… I'm thankful I met you. The days when you're training with me really reminded me of the times I spent with my son and grandson… it felt like I have a granddaughter," she said, lightly pressing her arms tighter around the young woman's waist. "You have such a big heart… find someone worthy of it."

They passed through the grain and paddy fields and started to ride uphill.

"You're still young, sweetheart," the old woman continued. "There'll be many… many things you want to do, but you won't have the time. You have to choose wisely… and if you'd take a word from this old lady, to love is the best. There's nothing like too early to love… or too late, for that matter."

"I understand…"

"Good…" she murmured. "…good…"

They finally reached the farm area. Marian and Klaus dismounted first while Raelyn sat still on the horse. They were supposed to help Eda dismounting herself.

She could feel the weight of the older woman against her back.

"Madam Eda? We've reached your place," Marian said.

There was no answer.

She could feel Klaus gently tugged Eda's hand away from her waist, but he said nothing. However, again, his silence told her more clearly than words.

"Granny…" Raelyn called softly as her voice started to drown in her sobbing. "You're home…"

* * *

_**A/N: I have a confession to make: I get the timeline wrong. I remembered the Harvest Festival to be held on the last day of the season. However, after some tweaking, I feel that this scene is more suited to the story overall. And why I put Eda's storyline on this story? Because, I don't know whether I'm doing a good job at it, I think Eda is crucial in shaping Raelyn's character (or at least to show to other people, those in the story and the readers, that Raelyn isn't simply your shy next-door-girl)**_

_**"There's nothing like too early to love... or too late," guess Eda wasn't just speaking to Raelyn, huh?**_

_**As always, thanks for taking your time for reading this ^^ I'll be so happy to read your comment on this chapter ^^**_


	18. He Says: It's Fine If You Want To Cry

_Hey everyone, for the record, I know that in the game Oak Tree Town doesn't have a church nor a graveyard but in my liberty, I decided to make this story otherwise. If I could choose the place, I'd say the church (and most probably the graveyard as well) would be placed at the northeastern side, at the end of the road between the general store and the eastern part of the town (if I remember correctly on the path after the stairs next to Klaus' __there's a road leading up but actually we can't go there because we'll be led back to the general store). If my memory serves me wrong, I'm sorry ^^"_

_In this chapter, we'll see more side to Raelyn and Klaus AND a liiiitle bit more about Klaus' past. ^^_

* * *

_"The Earth may be round, but the world is never fair… that's why I think we should try to be as fair as possible to each other."_

Klaus buttoned his black waistcoat with those words echoed in his mind. It had been long since he remembered about _her_, but when he did it felt like it was yesterday. She was a memory of his long bygone days, the ones he wanted to regard as lost and never found, but it seemed that they caught up to him.

As a consolation, she was one of the better ones.

Klaus put on his jacket and walked out from his house. Today was the last day of Fall as well as the funeral service of the most senior farmer of the town. The townspeople were to be gathered to the graveyard, where Eda would be interred next to her late husband as per her wish.

When he arrived at the graveyard together with Iris, Mistel and Agate, there were already some people surrounding the newly dug patch and the closed coffin: Veronica, Angela, Otmar, Fritz and Raelyn. They were busy preparing everything that was needed for the memorial service later: the chairs, the stand for speakers, things as such. The newly arrived party went over to Veronica, "Madam Veronica, do you need help?" Iris asked.

Veronica looked around for a moment. "It would be very nice of you to help Raelyn and Fritz in preparing the chairs… and perhaps some to remind the other townsfolk since the service should start soon."

"I'll go help with the chairs," he volunteered.

"Then the three of us will go around the town."

Klaus walked over to the stack of chairs and took one of them. When he turned around, he found Raelyn was about to take a chair as well. She seemed surprised, "Mr. Klaus?"

Her voice was rather hoarse and he could see her eyes were red. "Good morning," he greeted while handing over the chair to her.

"Ah, thank you…"

Klaus nodded and she turned away. Before he could think of anything else, Fritz came over and Klaus handed him a chair as well. Slowly, people started to come—including Eda's grandson from the city—and Klaus took his seat between Raelyn and Iris, however he couldn't bear to look at the former.

_It's natural that she's crushed,_ he thought. _But, why… I just can't look at her?_

* * *

After the last priest passed away, the town hadn't had its own priest until earlier this season, taking up residence in the church built in the northeastern part of the town. This would be his first ceremonial service. Since he didn't get to know Eda well, he didn't speak much; Veronica and Otmar did, while Raelyn refused to do so.

The chairs were put aside and Eda's coffin was slowly lowered into the earth after the last eulogy from Otmar. After the last scoop of earth was thrown onto the newest addition to the grave together with the priest's solemn accompaniment—"From earth we emerge, to earth we shall return."—Veronica took the stage once again. It seemed that it was the custom of the town; the guild master had the obligation to announce the deceased's will right after the funeral.

"People of Oak Tree Town, now I will announce Madam Eda's last will," she began. "According to the latest version of her written will, all of her remaining livestock will be sold with the proceeds going to the town's fund, while her steeds would be donated to the town's public steed rental services…"

"…with the exception of a black stallion with the name Yang, which will be in Mr. Niklaus Adler's possession," Klaus could sense the shock from the other townspeople—well, he would be himself if she hadn't told him beforehand. "Her private farmland would be given to Miss Raelyn Forrester."

"What?!" a voice rose from the crowd. Klaus looked for the source; it came from a young man with a sandy blond hair, who he heard to be Eda's grandson. "That's impossible!" he protested. "I'm her grandson! I should be her heir!"

"Mr. Ibuki Tanagawa," Veronica nodded at him grimly. "Under the law that governs this region, her written will—completed two days before her passing—would take precedence over your kinship to her."

"Who the hell is this Raelyn Forrester?!"

"That would be me."

Ibuki glared at the pinkette and stomped over to her place. Klaus and Raeger, who were standing on each of her side, became alerted but they allowed him to come closer. "And how could my grandmother give her farm to you?"

"Perhaps because I live next to her?" Raelyn suggested with a coldness that shocked many who heard her voice. "Perhaps because I'm right next to her while you're far away in the city?"

"Wha—?!" his face reddened in rage at her insinuation. "You gold digger! You must've taken advantage of her! There's no way—"

A loud slap interjected him. Ibuki was stunned, his right cheek slowly turned red from the impact. "How dare you?!" Raelyn yelled. "I've had enough of this! If you want that farm so badly, go ahead and take it!"

By that time, Raeger had restrained Raelyn from harming Ibuki further but that didn't stop Ibuki from trying to grab her himself. "You—"

That was it for him. Klaus grabbed the young man's hand before he could reach her. "I think that's more that enough," he said sternly.

The young man tried to break free, but Klaus tightened his grip on Ibuki's wrist. "Leave us alone! I'll settle this matter with this bi—"

"If you could be this rude to her in front of the townspeople, what could you do to her if we do leave you alone?" Klaus asked harshly, his chest began to tighten with a flame of anger he thought he had managed to extinguish completely. "And I would have nothing of you disrespecting her."

"_You_—"

Before it escalated further, Veronica stepped in. "Let us settle the matter in the town's guild, if you will."

Iris also stepped forward and gave Klaus' shoulder a light squeeze. "Watch out, Klaus," she whispered in warning. "You don't want to let your temper getting better of your judgment."

The blonde then turned and looked at Ibuki, "And you, young man," she said. "You are threading on a _very_ dangerous path right now. If I were you, I'd be very careful on what I'll do next."

Klaus took a deep breath, calming himself down. It took him some moments before he was sure he could handle himself in front of others, but the knowledge that he almost unleashed his carefully sealed away temper slightly terrified him.

And he thought he'd known better…

* * *

Klaus was just walking around the bridge when he saw Raelyn walking away from the town's direction. It seemed that the matter on the farm's ownership had been settled. He approached her carefully, "Raelyn…"

"Oh? You're still here, Mr. Klaus?"

Klaus glanced at the river. "The scenery here soothes my soul."

Raelyn followed his gaze and a moment later she replied quietly. "I might understand what you meant…"

They began walking towards her farm. Of course, Klaus noticed that Raelyn hadn't shed even a single tear during the service—not even when she was enraged at Ibuki.

"He would be taking over the farm," she informed him, as if reading his mind. "I thought it would be for the best, too. He'll do fine."

"You know of him?"

Raelyn nodded. "Granny told me once of him… said that he used to help out around."

Klaus nodded thoughtfully. "Perhaps he would need some help in the beginning… but I'm sure he'll be fine after a week. Getting back to our roots are easier than starting on something new…"

They arrived at her farm and she glanced at the direction of Eda's farm momentarily before throwing her gaze on the opposite direction. "Raelyn," he called.

She turned to face him. "Yes?"

"It's fine if you want to cry."

"Huh?" she held her breath and Klaus could see that she really was on the verge of tears. "I can't…"

"Why?"

"Because crying… won't bring her back." Nevertheless, her tears managed to break free. She clutched at her chest as she began sobbing. "I—I'm sorry… I just…"

Klaus gingerly put his hand on her head. He knew he brought this to himself; he had encouraged her to cry. Perhaps he shouldn't because he knew what she said was true. He had been there once and it wasn't something to be repeated.

Moreover, how could the sight of her tears crush him so?

There was a passing thought of impropriety in his head, but the sight of her crying surmounted all those manmade unseen boundaries. So that he couldn't see her tears anymore, he stepped forward and pulled her against himself, wrapping his free arm slightly below her shoulders.

"Will the pain go away…?" she asked.

For a moment, the sight came back to him: his father lying flat on his stomach and his mother pegged on the wall with a knife through her throat. For years he couldn't stop thinking of why, from all days, that happened when he stayed over at his friend's place. For years he couldn't stop thinking of what could have been—perhaps there would be one more dead body, but at least he'd do so while defending his family.

He tightened his arms ever so slightly around her and he whispered, an answer as much as it was to her as it was to himself.

"No…"

* * *

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review ^^_


	19. She Says: We Can Always Choose Not To

_fantasyanimegirl283: your requests answered here ^^_

_Peachie: yep I know, just decided to change things a bit in this story_

* * *

Raelyn watered her newly planted seeds quietly. Her watering can had already been upgraded twice, but at the core of it, it was still the same watering can Eda had given her. It was the same with the rest of her farming equipment, save for her clippers.

Moreover, she found herself glancing at Eda's—now Ibuki's—farm now and then.

_Should I check on him? Should I not?_

Of course the words he had thrown at her during the funeral weren't forgotten; she doubted she could ever do that. However, he was Granny's grandson and a part of this town as well… not to mention that he had a similar scent with Granny's. She knew that he wasn't a complete greenhorn in farming, but how many years had passed since he last held a watering can in his hand or brushing an unfamiliar, distressed cow?

But, could she step onto that plot without thinking about Eda?

_This wouldn't do_, she thought.

Packing away her watering can, Raelyn walked towards the fruit orchard which she had acquired recently from Elise. She quickly finished her work there and for once in a blue moon, she felt like going to the town. Perhaps she could do something there—meaningless chattering she usually dreaded became something more desirable now.

She wanted to, she needed to get away from the farm—from any kind of remembrance of Eda.

When she reached the town, Raeger was carrying his shopping bags from the Trade Depot and they met just when Raeger was about to enter his place. "Wow, I didn't expect to see you here this early," he told her. "I thought there are a lot to be done in farms early in the season?"

Raelyn shrugged. "We can always choose not to do it."

Raeger looked at her for a moment sympathetically. "Well, I might need an extra pair of hands for prep work, feeling up to it?"

Raelyn blinked in surprise. "Really? You'd trust me?"

The young man laughed lightly. "You've been taking lessons for quite some time. I need to check your progress as well."

_Perhaps this'd be better… at least I have some non-farming things to do_, she told herself.

* * *

"What are you going to make?" Raelyn asked as Raeger put down his shopping on the counter.

"Kimchi," he replied. "I heard it's a popular winter salad in the eastern countries."

She looked at the spread of ingredients that Raeger brought to the counter: chili pepper, napa cabbages, and some more seasonings. "What do you need me to do?"

The chef put out a cutting board, a knife, and a large bowl. "Cut the cabbages."

Raelyn put on the plastic gloves and began cutting and Raeger put the seasoning into a mixing bowl. Soon, they settled into the rhythm set by the beating on the knife against the cutting board. Cutting was one of the first things Raeger taught her; he said cutting was the first step to cooking.

"Looking good,"

"I learned from the master."

Raeger chuckled at her comment while continuing to mix the sauce. Raelyn kept cutting; she had a whole basket full of cabbages to be cut.

"I told you that before going to a culinary school, it was my grandfather who taught me how to cook, right?"

She remembered that story; it was the one he told her while carefully introducing her to spices. "When he passed away and this place was passed down to me, it didn't open for a week or so."

"Really?" she asked. Looking at how workaholic Raeger could be, it seemed so unbelievable that he would take such a long break.

"I didn't even cook. Maurice always invited me to the inn and I'd eat there," he said. "I couldn't cook, because it simply reminded me of my grandpa."

Raelyn sighed long. She could relate to that feeling well. She glanced

"But in the end I realized that I shouldn't stay that way. True, I'm reminded of him every now and then while I cook, but that's not a bad thing."

She put the cut cabbages to the prepared bowl, gradually filling it with neatly cut napa cabbages, but her ears were on Raeger and he knew it. "You can come to help me prep for as long as you need to, but think about what Madam Eda would feel if you stay this way."

She let his words sank and found that there was truth in them. It wasn't a bad thing to remember Granny; perhaps, it was even better. Where else would she stay now if not in her heart… in her memories of her?

* * *

Raelyn walked over to Eda's—now Ibuki's—place with a tray in her hands. As she reached the property, she found him at the distance sitting on the field with watering can in his hand. Looking at the newly watered plots, Raelyn could tell that he had just finished his work.

She carefully walked over to him. He looked up at her, but seemed to tired to stand—not that it wasn't expected.

"I brought some warm lemonade," she told him. "And some pain relief patches. I think you'd need it."

The blond man smiled gratefully. As strange as it might sound, his smile looked similar to Eda's. Raelyn moved to sit beside him on the field and put the tray between them. She poured some lemonade to the glass she had brought and gave it to him. He took it and took a sip.

"I heard Gran was the one teaching you how to farm."

"Yes and no," she replied. "I came from a farmer's family, so it's not a new thing… but Granny was the one teaching me how to manage a whole farm on my own."

Ibuki nodded comprehendingly. "And the lemonade…?"

"She taught me how," Raelyn admitted. "Thought that you might like it that way as well."

He laughed. "You're very kind," he said. "For someone who had been accused of being a gold digger, you have a heart of gold yourself."

Raelyn poured a glass of lemonade for herself and sipped it. "Flattery's not going to get you anywhere far."

"I didn't mean it to be a full flattery," he quipped. "I meant it as an apology."

"Hm?"

"My words to you at the funeral…" he said. "It was uncalled for. I'm sorry."

Raelyn turned at Ibuki and looked at his clear blue eyes. For once she could see something of him that didn't really remind her of Eda. The young man stretched out his hand to her. "Let's start over, shall we?" he offered. "Let's be friends. I'm Ibuki."

She hesitated. This was the person who seemed to abhor her the moment they met and now he offered an armistice—no, peace agreement—over a glass of warm lemonade and some pain relief patches.

Then again, what's so wrong in having a new friend, especially the one who went through the same pain as her?

Raelyn took his hand and squeezed it gently as she lowered her snood so he could see her face. "Raelyn."

* * *

_Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review ^^_


	20. He Says: I Do Care For Her

_Hey everyone! How long has it been since I last updated... well, I guess it had been quite some time. Truth is, I'm now in college and things get pretty hectic. For sure, I can't update as often as I did in the past, but trust me, I will still update! ^^_

_In the meantime, thank you sooo much for all the reviews. We got... what? 92? *sob in happiness* I hope I will not let you down!_

_Hmmm will Ibuki become a rival to Klaus? We'll see about that, okay? ^^ Thanks for your support for KlausxRaelyn!_

* * *

Klaus blinked in surprise when Iris handed him a small box, wrapped elegantly in dark purple paper and white ribbon. It took him a moment to register what was happening and he glanced at the calendar to confirm his hunch.

He smiled and accepted it. "It's already that day again, huh," he said. "Thank you."

Iris returned his smile. "Thanks to Agate, actually," she told him sheepishly. "If she hadn't come to my house and asked me to make chocolate with her, I might have forgotten as well."

"I'm not blaming you," he said. "You don't exactly have the obligation—"

"Don't imply I'm forced to do it," Iris retorted. "And before you even think of saying it, no, we're not too old for this. We can be gray haired and I'll still give you chocolates on Winter Harmony Day."

Klaus decided to let her have the last word; some arguments were not really worth pursuing after, after all. He put the chocolate box on his desk and took his coat. He wore it and opened the door to a snowing landscape, allowing Iris to step out first.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"I couldn't agree more," he replied.

They were walking towards the Trade Depot when Klaus noticed a figure in front of Raeger's restaurant. It was Raelyn.

"Raelyn," he called.

She turned and approached them. "Mr. Klaus, Miss Iris," she greeted as politely as always. Klaus noticed that her basket—he rarely saw her without it when she was in town—was filled with a few carefully wrapped boxes. There was one box that attracted his attention, because it was wrapped quite differently—more elaborate—than the others: green with pink ribbons.

_Harmony Day chocolates?_

"Oooh… are those Harmony Day chocolates?" Iris gushed, unwittingly voicing out his thoughts.

He watched her cheeks turned into a faint shade of pink. "Ah, well… yes…" she admitted bashfully. "I got some help… from Raeger."

She looked down shyly as she shifted between her legs. There was a brief, but awkward, moment of silence; surprisingly, Raelyn was the one who broke it. "I—I need to go!" she said. "See you later!"

They watched the young farmer left. "Phew… and I thought she was going to give you chocolates."

Klaus rolled his eyes. "What does it have to do with you if she does, anyway?"

Iris giggled. "I wonder…"

* * *

The meeting ended earlier than he expected. Klaus walked on the pathway of the crowded city. It seems that they observed Harmony Day here, too, for there were many promotions on chocolates along the road.

It was then his eye caught something: sakura mochis. Come to think of it, he had never brought her sakura mochis except for that one time. Perhaps this would be a good time to do so, perhaps the confection could lift her mood up somewhat.

* * *

"But today is the Winter Harmony Day," Iris said. "You can do it during the Spring Harmony Day!"

"It'd be better if her mood is lifted before that," Klaus argued back.

Iris' eyes glinted with playfulness. "You _do _care about her."

"I don't recall a time I said I did not."

"Are you falling for her, Klaus?" Iris asked. Her tone was playful, but Klaus could still sense that she was being serious.

"No," he replied. "I do care for her, but that does not mean that I'm falling for her."

"I think this is just you trying to delude yourself," Iris said. "Well, we'll see how it goes…"

* * *

Her farm seemed to be much more organized than the last time he stopped by. He could see that she had added some facilities as well. Klaus was about to knock on her door when it opened and she stood in front of him, complete with her winter gear. Her wine-colored eyes widened in surprise. "M—Mr. Klaus?!"

He nodded in acknowledgement. "Good afternoon."

Raelyn straightened up her body and asked: "How could I help you?"

Klaus took a deep breath. "I know it is out of the custom, but I have some sakura mochis for you."

The pinkette blushed. "S—sakura mochi?" She seemed to be unsure of what to say. After a brief moment, she stepped aside. "Please come in," she said.

Klaus handed over the box to her and she went to the kitchen. In the meantime, he looked at the interior of her small, but lovely house. She had made some changes; she changed the wallpaper into plain white, while her floor seemed to be made of a better quality wood. There was a low table at the middle of the room, but this time this table was equipped with a thick blanket around it.

"Please take a seat," she said while putting down the plate of sakura mochi on the table.

Klaus followed her. When he put his legs under the blanket, he felt warmer than he thought he would be. He moved his leg slightly towards the center of the table and found that it got even warmer. "This is convenient," he said.

Raelyn chuckled. "You did not see this often around here, I bet," she said. "This is a kotatsu."

"You seem to be well-versed with Sakuran culture."

"Oh, well… actually, I'm part Sakuran... from my mother."

"I see…" Klaus nodded thoughtfully. "By the way, did you not mean to head out somewhere when I came just now?"

Raelyn seemed to be shocked. "I apologize for my sudden visit. I'll—"

"A—actually," she interjected—a gesture that surely took a lot of courage for her. "I was about to look for you."

"For me?"

Raelyn nodded. She then took out a box, wrapped in green paper and pink ribbon—the one he saw this morning—and pushed it towards him. "As you said… today's Winter Harmony Day."

"Oh…"

"I… I didn't want to delay your trip this morning so I thought I should just give it in the afternoon." She blushed. "And… I know you are not particularly fond of sweet things… so I reduced the amount of milk and sugar… I hope it doesn't turn out too bitter."

He was touched by her thoughtfulness. Smiling, he took the gift and unwrapped it. "A-are you going to eat it _here_?!" she asked in shock.

"I am," he affirmed. "I hope it is fine with you."

"W—well, yes, but…" she looked away, blushing. "It makes me nervous somehow."

Klaus chuckled. "You should be more confident of your cooking," he told her. "I still remember your bouillabaisse. It was excellent."

Klaus peered into the box; there were several rose-shaped chocolates. The color did seem to be darker than what he usually found in the stores.

"I used a mould," she told him. "So it wasn't a big deal."

"I see…"

Klaus took a piece and tasted it. Just like Raelyn had told him earlier, this chocolate was bitterer than the standard milk chocolate. As it melted in his mouth, however, it gave off a slight sweetness together with a fruity taste.

"…oranges?"

"There are other fruits, too," Raelyn said. "I thought you might like it better that way…"

He smiled. "I can't wait to discover the other flavors."

Finally, she smiled back at him. "And I'll enjoy the sakura mochis."

* * *

_Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review ^^_


	21. She Says: What If I Don't Get It

_Hey everyone, I'm back with another chapter! I hope you'll enjoy this! ^^_

* * *

_"You like him, don't you?"_

_Why did he say that?_ She thought for the countless time that day.

"…lyn… Raelyn!"

Raelyn abruptly turned to find Ibuki standing next to her. "Oh… hey."

"When are you going to stop watering that plot?" he asked, pointing downwards.

Raelyn followed his finger and saw the darkened patch of field—and that she was still watering the spot. She quickly lifted up her wrist and put the watering can down. "Anything I could help you with?"

Ibuki chuckled. "More like _you_ could use some help yourself."

"Huh?"

"You've been spacing out, Raelyn," he pointed out. "What're you thinking about?"

"Um… nothing much, really." Raelyn looked away. "I… if you don't have anything else to ask…"

Ibuki shook his head, so Raelyn quickly excused herself. She was done with the watering, anyway.

* * *

The bell chimed and Raeger turned around to greet his customer. "Welcome to—"

"Raeger!"

Raelyn put—more precisely, slammed—her hands on the counter, panting. Raeger put down the plate he had been drying on the shelf and went over.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked.

Raelyn looked around; a few customers were enjoying their food, but they were not close enough to eavesdrop. Just to be safe, though, she leaned forward. "It's your fault!" she hissed in protest.

"What? What have I done?"

"I don't like Mr. Klaus _in that way_!"

Raeger chuckled. "You're still worked up about it?" he asked. "I never expected it, to be honest."

"I couldn't get my mind off it," she admitted. "It's all because of you!"

The bell chimed again. This time, it was the town's doctor; today was his day off.

"Hello~oh, did I interrupt something?"

Raeger immediately went back to his business persona. "No, nothing like that," he said calmly. "What do you want to order?"

Raelyn moved aside but decided to stick around. Marian placed his order and sat on the seat near the counter. "Raelyn, honey, why don't you sit down here?" he asked, tapping the empty spot next to him.

"I'm fine, Dr. Marian."

"Your face doesn't exactly spell 'fine' to me now," he said half-teasingly. "More like a face of someone in love problems."

Raelyn immediately felt queasy but shook her head fiercely. "It's nothing like that!" she insisted.

"Aw, just admit it, Raelyn," Raeger said as he served Marian's order. "You have feelings for him. Otherwise, you won't be this worked up."

"Oooh… I smell romance~" Marian squealed. "Who's this lucky gentleman?"

"It's Klaus," Raeger said matter-of-factly. "You should've seen her face when she made the Harmony Day chocolate for him."

"_Raeger_!"

She stomped over where Marian and Raeger were and took the seat. "It's really nothing like that!"

Raeger and Marian chuckled, obviously not buying her answer. "I don't see what's wrong in liking Klaus, really," Marian said. "He's a fine gentleman. I vouch for him."

"That's not what I…" Raelyn felt heat rose to her cheeks. "He's like an elder brother to me… and he's been helping me out a lot, so I want to make good thank-you chocolate for him, is all."

"Here goes the brother excuse…"

"It's not an excuse!" Raelyn insisted. "It's for real!"

Raeger leaned over the counter to close the distance between the two of them. "Then, why are you so worked up about what I said?"

The bell chimed for the third time and Raeger immediately went to the counter. "Welcome!"

Raelyn and Marian turned to see Lillie walking into the restaurant. "Hi, Raeger," she greeted. "I feel like having some sweet desserts."

"Sure, what kind of sweet dessert… pudding? Cakes?"

It was then Lillie noticed Raelyn and Marian. She greeted them briefly before going back to Raeger, choosing her order. Raeger didn't seem to be in a rush; he had always been courteous, but it seemed to be different when Lillie was the customer. It seemed to her that Raeger… enjoyed waiting for Lillie.

"There's no exact science for love. You can't tell how long it would take to mature and how it would look like when it does." Raelyn turned around to face the doctor. "Let's compare Klaus and Iris with Raeger and Lillie, shall we, honey?"

"Mmhmm."

"Both are childhood friends, yes?"

She nodded.

"Both are currently not dating each other."

She nodded again.

"You've seen how they interact with each other, right?"

Another nod.

"Do you think it's the same?"

Finally, this time, she shook her head.

"That's what I meant by love is not an exact science," he pointed out. "Even if all the factors are the same, it may turn out to be a different kind of love… and there lies the beauty of love."

"So… you're saying that what I feel towards Mr. Klaus is different from what I feel for my brothers… although I think of him as one?"

"That's very possible, honey."

"I…" Raelyn hesitated. "What if I don't get it?"

Marian put his hand under her chin and lifted her face up. "Honey, look at me," he said. "Don't be sad, okay? It's perfectly alright to take your time."

"Take my time…?"

The doctor laughed merrily. "Well, he knows how to wait, that old wolf… and you say you prefer older wines, right?"

* * *

Raelyn thought about what the doctor had told her over and over again as she made her way back to the farm. Her mind was so occupied by it that she wasn't really paying attention to where she walked until she bumped into something… or someone. Before she fell back, fortunately, the person she bumped into held her hand.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" she apologized quickly.

"You're so absent-minded today," Ibuki noted.

Raelyn looked away, partly in embarrassment since Ibuki had caught her spacing out twice in quite a manner. She quietly slipped her hand away from his.

"You really don't like me, do you?" he noted wryly.

"We don't know each other very well," she pointed out matter-of-factly.

"So, when we do, you'll be comfortable around me the way you do with Klaus?"

_No_, she thought inwardly without batting an eyelid. _It'd be different._ However, she didn't have the heart to say it out loud. "Maybe…"

Afterward, she accepted his invitation for a short walk and to converse. Ibuki was a pleasant companion and slowly her impression of him changed for the better. However, one thing she had come to realize as she did was: her feelings for Klaus were indeed different from what she had for Ibuki, or even Raeger. The closest comparison she'd have would be her brothers, but after what Marian told her, she noticed the finer differences between these two feelings she overlooked earlier. She pushed the thoughts aside while Ibuki was still around, but when she was alone in her room, staring up at the ceiling, nothing was preventing her from thinking about it.

She knew she was one step closer to the conclusion.

_I love him_, she thought to herself, _but as what?_

* * *

_Raelyn's a step closer to solving out her heart._

_Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review ^^_


	22. He Says: I Won't Bet On Her

_Hey everyone, I'm back with another chapter!_

_PS: There are some references to other fictions in this chapter... anyone can spot them? ^^_

* * *

_It was raining just like that time. It made him feel to go back all the way back when he stood in a place like this, looking at a similar scene. There were people dressed uniformly in black, some combined it with white, but nothing besides the two, not even grey. It was as if anything in between and outside was prohibited; as if there were only two possibilities: black or white. Alive or dead._

_He frowned at the headstone; it was placed at the middle, serving both who lied beneath it._

_Pierre and Daphne Delacroix_

_Beloved Parents_

_Together in Life and Death_

_He was not exactly superstitious, but he had no other explanation for this. This couple had kindly taken him into their family and treated him like their own son, being neighbors, and now they became neighbors yet again with his parents. This time, for all eternity._

_He marked it on his skin so he would never forget: an eagle guarding a golden cross on its heart, surrounded by a wreath of black roses. That would mark the first of his markings._

* * *

Ever since Eda's death, Klaus seemed to take it upon himself the duty to lift up Raelyn's mood. The young woman had looked up to the senior farmer like her own grandmother, and he could identify the hurt in her eyes when they spoke right after the funeral. True, Eda had entrusted him with Raelyn, but he would admit that there's more as to why he dedicated his time to accompany her.

The fact that he enjoyed the time spent in her company would be one of them, of course.

They sat nearby the lake in silence, simply watching the frozen lake. Raelyn had never been a talkative person, he realized, and he had no problem with that. As such, their silence was usually not an awkward one; it was one of comfortable silence, simply knowing that they existed next to each other. However, he could sense that there was something different with her silence today.

Would it be appropriate to ask her?

From what he had learned, women tend to value their secrets even more than men. He had heard someone even saying that secret made woman woman. Nevertheless, he wanted to know what was bothering her.

"Raelyn," he finally called.

She looked at him, surprised. "Yes?"

"Is there anything that is bothering your mind?"

She shook her head quickly, but her cheeks turned bright. "No, nothing in particular."

Klaus nodded. He was not convinced, of course, but what could he do if she refused to tell him?

He didn't need to wait long, though, for she changed her mind.

"Actually…" she paused, hesitating. Klaus turned to look at her deep wine colored eyes, which he found to be captivating. "I was thinking about you."

"Me?" he echoed.

She nodded and blushed even more furiously. "More like… my feelings."

Klaus held his breath. Such honesty from such a usually shy person, and such a timing to reveal it to him. It wasn't like he was completely oblivious to her affections; he had realized from some time ago but chose not to say anything about it. He had his reasons, of course, but now that she had brought it to light, he couldn't evade it anymore.

She looked away. "I initially thought I love you the way I love my brothers," she admitted. "But… I was wrong."

His heart raced as his memories caught up with him. He brought it upon himself by asking her, yes, but still…

"What you think of your feelings towards me," he said, colder than he thought it would sound. "It might not be what really is. Being as young as you are, it is not uncommon to mistake a simple admiration for love."

Now, it was her turn to hold her breath. She turned her head to meet his eyes again, but his time hers showed a look of utter disbelief. He stood up, but unlike any other days, she didn't follow suit. She stayed on the ground, sitting with her legs put aside under the cover of her skirt and apron.

"I don't think that this matter should be discussed any further."

* * *

He lost count of the number of glasses, but there was still some left. Nevertheless, he was not sober enough to hear the knocking.

"Klaus, I'm letting myself in."

Klaus looked up; Iris was the _last_ person he wanted to see right now. Maybe second last, after Raelyn.

"Anything you need from me?" he asked, his usual composed demeanor slowly being chipped away by the wine.

"I heard from Raeger you purchased a whole bottle of wine," she said, walking towards where he sat and took the bottle from him. She inspected it, frowning. "I'm just making sure you don't drink beyond your limits… and maybe I'm already too late."

"Stop it, Iris, you're not my family." He didn't slur, but the choice of his words told Iris of his conditions enough.

Her fingers clenched around the neck of the bottle. "What we lack in blood we made it up with bond… that's what you told me."

Klaus chuckled wryly. He remembered that childhood—childish—saying. He couldn't believe how naïve he had been back then.

Iris looked at the man sitting in front of her, his face flushed from alcohol. Klaus was fond of wines, and he had slightly above average tolerance due to his… exposure, but now he was very careful about drinking so that he would never reach—much less surpass—what he could handle. There were extraordinary circumstances, of course, and it was clear to her that this was one of them.

Iris watched Klaus carefully. At this state, perhaps he would tell her what's bothering him.

"She said she loved me," he finally admitted.

"And you drove her away."

He nodded.

Iris sighed. "When I first teased you about her, it really was just a teasing," she admitted. "However, I looked how happy you are with her around—and you can't fool me. I really thought… that she would be the one you let to bloom."

"Well…" his voice was hoarse. "There's no place for a cold winter in a blissful spring."

"How could there be a blissful spring when you nip at the bud before it blooms?"

Klaus looked away. "You should know better, Iris," he said. "You should know better than doing this."

"Doing what?" her tone escalated slightly at the last word. "You made several stupid decisions, but not as retarded as this."

"Retarded?" he laughed wryly. "I'm not reaching for something I don't deserve and you call that retarded? More like sensibility for me."

"Niklaus Yves Adler!" Iris exclaimed, the vibration of her voice echoed in her head.

"You surely know, Iris," Klaus replied, his tone still relatively even. "That Yves—the yew tree—especially the male ones are toxic. Don't you think it really suits me?"

Iris bit her lower lip and he continued: "I could never have a family… they all die after taking care of me… right…?"

Klaus looked up. His golden eyes, usually exuding his composed and calming charm, were now filled with the dark intensity of a long withheld burden. "You should know better… Miss Iris Delacroix."

Iris began to weep. "It was an accident, Klaus…_ an accident_. We—Mistel and I—never blamed you. You have nothing to do with it… you weren't even there!"

"Exactly," he replied. "I wasn't there when it happened. It was like that too with my own family. I was never there when I could have helped. I cursed you and Mistel to suffer the same fate as I do."

Iris carefully put her hand on his arm. Coincidentally—or not, perhaps—her hand was directly above his well-hidden tattoo. She gave it a gentle squeeze.

"You were not there," she admitted. "But, if you had been, I might have lost a brother, too. You were not there, and now I can see you alive, and I'm thankful," she said. "Why don't you have some faith, Klaus?"

Her squeeze incited a burning feeling on his arm. Klaus gently pushed her hand away and shook his head. "I won't bet on her."

* * *

_What do you think will happen next? BTW, since we're already at this point, I'd like to ask your opinion about the story progress. Do you think it's too rushed? Or too slow? Was it too abrupt?_

_Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review ^^_


	23. She Says: How Do You Know That

_Hello everyone! Thanks for waiting and HOLYMOLY 101 reviews! Thank you so much! ^^ I also wanna thank the followers and those who favorited this story! I might not be able to mention you guys one by one but now that I'm very very grateful for your support ^^ This chapter is a short one, but I hope you'll still enjoy it._

_Helen: Hi! Glad to see you on this story! Firstly, thanks for the compliment and I'm glad to know that you enjoyed reading it and now I'll proceed with your comment on Raelyn. You know what? I agree with you: Raelyn should have waited. In her defense, though, she didn't exactly and explicitly tell Klaus that she is in love with him. She was just saying how she realized her feelings for him was different from what she thought. Klaus was the one who pre-empted that move by cutting the discussion short. Klaus might be right in concluding that Raelyn was in love with him, but I guess he might have gone towards the overkill in that conversation. If you ask me, if I were Raelyn, I wouldn't simply tell the guy that I might have a crush on that I might have a crush on him because it sounded like a half-assed confession, but then again, I'm not Raelyn. lol. Imo, Raelyn needs to learn how to wait... she is a greenhorn in romance, after all. So, yes, I agree with you that she's unwise in revealing that bit of info, although the fault might not be entirely hers. Then again, just as you have noticed yourself, this side of her puts Klaus at his wits' end. I think at this point I can safely say that her innocence, honesty and trust in him ironically disarmed him more than he expected. All in all, I hope you'll be as excited as I am in how this will go! ^^_

_fantasyanimegirl283: hey there, glad to see you around again! I like Marian and he is a fun character to write about ^^_

* * *

_She sat on her father's shoulders, with each of her legs leaned against his broad shoulders. The spring sun was not harsh, and the gentle breeze made everything even better. She reached out to one of the falling cherry blossom petals, squealing in delight when she managed to capture one full flower._

_She could hear her father chuckling. "You're just like your mom," he said._

_"Daddy loves Mommy."_

_After a while, she could hear his reply. His voice was unbelievably soft, but there was no hesitation in it: "I do."_

_"How do you know that?"_

_"I'll tell you when you're older."_

* * *

_Being as young as you are, it is not uncommon to mistake a simple admiration for love._

His words kept echoing in her head. They made sense; at least that's what she had been trying to make herself believe.

_A simple admiration? Perhaps that's it_, she told herself. _That must be it._

Raelyn took a deep breath as she clenched her heart.

_Why does it hurt, then?_

"Raelyn!"

The pinkette looked up and found Ibuki standing near the border between their farms. "Do you want to go to the Trade Depot?"

She sighed and shook her head. "I'm good," she replied.

The blond farmer glanced at the bundles of daikons that Raelyn stacked together near the fences protecting her fields. He had seen these bundles yesterday, or perhaps even the day before yesterday. "Are you sure?" he asked.

"Positive," she replied.

"Do you need me to help with shipping?"

Raelyn sighed again. "Please," she replied in a low voice. "Thanks."

She took her watering can and sickle with the intention of putting them away when she heard sounds of footsteps on the snow getting closer. It was Ibuki.

"What is it?" she asked, trying to sound even.

Suddenly, he put his hand on her forehead. "It doesn't seem that you're sick."

Raelyn pushed his hand away gently. "I'm not sick," she assured him while looking away.

"Who are you avoiding then?"

"No one," she replied.

"Oh, come on, Raelyn. You are obviously avoiding the town."

"I'm just…" She bit her lower lip. "I'm just not in the mood, okay?"

"Rae—"

"You know what? Just leave those daikons there. I'll ship them myself later."

Without giving Ibuki any more chances to answer, Raelyn left him and went into her house. After closing—and locking—the door, she leaned against it, sighing long.

* * *

She cleared her affairs in the town as quickly as she could: shipping, restocking animal treats and fertilizers, and there was a letter for her from Echo Town. Raelyn could feel her heart beating slightly faster in anticipation as Veronica handed the letter over.

_Dad._

The pinkette farmer muttered a quick thanks and left. She set her sight on the path before her, ignoring the flows of strangers around her. She walked briskly towards the church, where she then headed towards Eda's grave. There was no one there, but there was a small bouquet of flowers put against the headstone.

"Hi, Granny," she greeted as she imagined that the elderly woman was standing in front of her with that warm smile of hers. "I… I asked my dad the question I asked a long time ago. I think this is his reply."

Raelyn carefully tore the envelope and unfolded the paper.

_Lynn,_

_What happened to you? What's with that sudden question? Are you having a crush on someone over there?_

_In any case, _(there were scribbles that made whatever he wrote beneath it illegible) _if you must know, what I have for your mother was not something that happened overnight. _(Another scribbling) _I know I love her because I chose to love her._

_Do you get it? Love, the one that lasts, is a decision that you make for yourself._

_Before you ask, I'll just tell you: your mother was a horrible cook, believe it or not. She tried to make a Starry Night meal and it actually tasted like _(a lot of scribbles here)_ hell. For one, I'm sure she used jalape__ño for her shrimp chili._

_Anyway, I was about to tell her how horrible it was when I noticed the bandages around her fingers. At that time, I know she was adept enough in her farming that those couldn't have been blisters._

_I guess that's the start of everything. I started to love her then._

_Thank Goddess her cooking got waaaaaaay better._

_I'm not going to ask why you suddenly asked, but I'll tell you this:_

_I admired the way your mother learned how to cook, and perhaps that's how I fell for her, but beyond that, I keep deciding to love her no matter what. Every time I have choices, I simply choose to love her._

_It's not always easy, but it's always worth it. That's how I know it's real._

_Love,_

_Dad._

_P.S.: don't tell your mom._

* * *

_What do you think on Neil's (unexpected?) crash course on romance?_

_Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review ^^_

_P.S.: What do you think of Neil in this letter? :P_


	24. He Says: I Shouldn't Have

_Hi everyone, thank you for your patience for this chapter! I have been quite busy, now that I'm in college. I hope I haven't lost too much of my edge hahaha_

_Thanks for the reviews, follows and favorites ^^_

_haylo4ever: thanks for waiting! I hope you'll like this chapter ^^._

_Peachie: yep, now that Neil is a dad, surely he'll change a bit. For sure, I don't think he would treat his daughter the way he had to his love interest lol_

_teamBLAZE: HAHA maybe he acquired that brutal honesty from someone? :P_

_Random Reader: Thanks! I hope you'll enjoy this chapter ^^_

* * *

Even before she became a published author, her head was constantly filled with stories—words of worlds, fictional people, and the weaving of the unseen red strings. She used to tell him of those stories; a different day carried a different episode.

Although now that her stories became written words, he could still hear her voice in his head when he read them. And yes, he did read them although he wouldn't say he was a fan of romance novel. When it came to Iris' stories, it was more than the romance that allured him; it was the nostalgia—the voice that gave him promises and dreams of a beautiful life.

Not all of her stories had what people would normally call a happy ending. The hero and the heroine didn't always end up together at the last page. A number of them, in fact, ended with the death of one of them. However, Klaus saw that in every ending, both protagonists ended up with a lesson that they gained from their journey. They learned about themselves and the world. They matured. Klaus remembered Iris once said—through one of her characters, a wise old woman: "There is no real lesson gained in solitude."

He would admit that Raelyn, young as she was, taught him something. To be more precise, she forced him to admit something that he had been trying to bury deep beneath what he showed to the world.

Fear.

She reminded him of his fear of loving and losing.

It was almost funny how, the moment he forced the conversation to drop and he saw the hurt in her eyes, he knew that he loved and lost her.

In that one moment, he had begun and they ended.

* * *

Late winter, but the snow didn't show any sign of easing up. Nevertheless, Iris decided that it was an excellent time for a walk and he didn't have the option to turn her down.

The forest path was almost empty, except for the two of them and the sets of footprints they had left behind. He spoke in a low voice, more to himself than to her.

"I love her."

"I know," came her reply simply. "I could tell."

Klaus shook his head. "I shouldn't have—"

"Don't say it," Iris said warningly. "You are still a human, Klaus, and love is something that comes naturally."

Since they were back in town, the conversation was dropped at that point. As they walked past the church, he saw the flash of pink head. Before he could do anything, she looked up and turned to find him.

"That's my cue to leave, not yours," Iris told him. "See you later, Klaus."

Iris then casually waved her hand at Raelyn, which she replied with a polite bow. He sighed. It would be very impolite to leave now that she had noticed him, but could he greet her the same way he usually would?

She walked out from the graveyard and stopped in front of him. She was holding something—a piece of paper and an envelope. Her round, dark eyes looked straight into his. They said eyes were the door to one's soul; he wondered what she saw in his at this moment.

He was thinking of how to greet her without hurting her when she cut the chase short: "Why didn't you leave with Miss Iris?"

Her voice was harsh, her tone cold. He didn't blame her, though, he couldn't. He could tell he had hurt her the last time they conversed. That being said, it didn't mean that her harshness didn't hurt him. It hurt, badly. Yet, he knew—and tried to be at peace with it—that it was a necessary pain. Someone like her could surely get someone who could offer more than a curse of death.

"Would you rather me to leave?" he asked, trying to sound even.

She held her breath, her free hand slightly covering her mouth. Her expression softened slightly, now changed with an utter shock and a pang of guilt. "I… I didn't mean to imply that… sorry."

He gave her a slight smile. Even after what he had done, she was still being kind towards him. "It's quite all right," he said. "I believe I could understand."

She looked down, refusing to meet his eyes. Early in their acquaintanceship, he would say that's it due to her shyness. Now, he knew it's something else.

"You have not been around," he stated simply.

She nodded meekly. "I didn't find the need to. Sometimes Ibuki helps with my shipping."

Klaus nodded. "I see. It's good that you are on good terms with him now."

She raised her head, but still averting her gaze. "I guess so… yeah."

Neither of them spoke after that. As much as he wanted to, he didn't think that it was the appropriate time for him to walk her home like he would usually do. Then, there was a part of him that urged him to apologize for their last conversation, but another part of him knew that the moment he apologized he would have to explain himself to her.

"Raelyn!"

Both of them turned to the voice; it was Ibuki. He jogged lightly on the snow and stopped right in front of him. "Oh, hey," he nodded in acknowledgment, a gesture he returned to the blond man.

Ibuki turned to Raelyn again. "Visiting my grandma?" he asked.

"Yes," she nodded.

"Hey, listen, just now I stopped by Giorgio's place…"

Raelyn was soon absorbed in listening to what Ibuki had to say—something about new kind of fertilizer, specialized for flowers. Klaus knew that it was now his cue to leave.

Klaus walked away discreetly from them, hoping that they were too busy with their conversation—at least, to him they seemed to be—to notice his departure. He could tell that they were in a world that he was not a part of.

They… she was of a different story than his.

* * *

_Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review ^^_


	25. She Says: I Tried My Best

_Hello again everyone, and happy very late new year! Thanks for the read, review, follow and favorites, everyone and now I guess I'll start this chapter with yet another flashback :)_

* * *

_Raelyn watched silently as her mother worked on the field. She walked through the growing lines of crops with a watering can in her hand; her mother was left-handed and Nate was the only one who did not inherit that trait. Fieldwork was boring, but somehow her mother did that with a cheerful humming; it was always that way each and every day, although she had been doing this for years._

_"How do you do it?" she finally braved herself to ask._

_"Do what, dear?" Her mother stopped on her track. "By the way, you might want to stop watering that plot. It'll flood soon enough."_

_Raelyn clumsily pulled her watering can up while muttering a quick apology; her mother simply waved it off as she walked over to her. "Back to your question."_

_"You're always happy doing the fieldwork," Raelyn continued. "How do you do that?"_

_Her mother grinned. "Simple. I decided to be."_

_"Huh?"_

_Her mother looked over the field—they were almost done—before sitting down. She tapped the spot next to her and Raelyn joined her on the ground._

_"In life, there are things that we can and cannot control. Fieldwork will always be the same—I can't control that—but my attitude? That's different," she explained. "Everyday I wake up deciding several things, among those, I decide that I would be working happily. Thankful that I still have work to do. Thankful that I can still produce something with my hands."_

_"Okay…"_

_"And while we are at it, just remember that what you can't control is not a mistake. At least, not _your _mistake."_

_Raelyn tilted her head. Her mother smiled and reached out to take a small tress of her hair._

_"For example, the color of your hair… you couldn't control it—unless we're talking to Uncle Allen—so it's not a mistake. Your feelings… you can't really control them, can't you? They are not a mistake, but again… what you do about them is something you _can_ control, right?"_

* * *

Raelyn noticed that just like in her hometown, Oak Tree Town celebrated the Starry Night Festival. When she got into town that day for some shopping, who's going with whom for the evening's event seemed to be the hottest topic around.

The restaurant was getting more business than usual, too. Thankfully, there was a seat on the counter left. Raelyn took it and Raeger served her usual drink—hot chocolate—even before she asked for it; she didn't realize that action made her the center of attention of the other patrons.

"So… who's your date for tonight?" Raeger asked with a friendly smile.

Raelyn took a sip of her drink before sighing long. "Not thinking about it."

Raeger smiled understandingly. "You know what they say about curing a heartbreak…"

"Rub some more salt over it by reminding me?"

Raeger laughed wryly. "I appreciate the pun, but you know what I truly mean."

Raelyn waved him off half-heartedly as Raeger scurried over to the counter. She stared into her drink: a seemingly endless pool of chocolate with steam rising over it. It had nothing that reminded her of Klaus but somehow she was, anyway. Going to the town had been slightly easier after their short—and obviously awkward—conversation, but she would still rather not to see him for the time being. She couldn't get his words out of her head. In fact, every time she was idle, they would just pop out in her head, spoken in his deep, calm voice as if she heard it all over again.

"Is this seat taken?"

She looked up and saw Iris smiling gently at her. "No, it's not," she replied. Iris' smile widened as she took the seat and quickly ordered a cup of tea.

"I haven't been seeing you with Klaus lately," she remarked after Raeger served her order.

"Wouldn't it be more natural to see Mr. Klaus with you instead?"

Iris took a sip of her drink. "Natural? That's quite a peculiar diction you have there."

"What do you mean, Miss Iris?"

"Natural could mean that it is to be expected, but it could also mean relaxed and unaffected… spontaneous. You think it is to be expected that you see him around with me, but I can tell he looks most relaxed when he is with you."

"You are wrong. He…" Raelyn racked her mind for a decent response. "I…"

"He pushed you away, I know," Iris stated simply. "And it hurts, doesn't it?"

Raelyn put down her drink and for the first time spun her chair to face the older woman. "Why do you care so much, Miss Iris?"

Iris returned her intense gaze with a calm one. The slender author smiled wistfully. "If I tell you why, you will not believe me."

Raelyn sighed long. "I tried my best," she said. "I tried to define this feeling I have for him, but… it was a mistake."

"What is a mistake?"

"Everything, I guess." The pinkette spun back to face her drink. "Trying to define it, discussed it with him, even…"

Unbeknownst to Raelyn, Iris smiled. "At least, you're not thinking that having those feelings for him was part of the mistake."

Raelyn shook her head. "My feelings for him is not part of the mistake," she confirmed. "It's what I do about them."

"You could be right," Iris agreed. "Between a bond and a relationship, wouldn't you agree that the bond is more important? Bonds make relationships, although sometimes we'd like to think otherwise. If we rush to define our feelings to define our relationship without the bond… what is there to define but a sham?"

"Bond…" Raelyn muttered. "Do you think… I have it… with him? A bond?"

"Of course you do!"

"Have I not destroyed it with what I have done?"

"Have a little faith."

Raelyn breathed warm air on her drink, although it was barely necessary. "What should I do now?"

"To be honest, I have no idea myself," Iris admitted. "I suppose… as an author and your friend… my best advice would be follow your heart."

Raelyn giggled. "That sounds cliché."

"Classic," Iris smiled, relieved that at least Raelyn seemed happier. "And doesn't that lead to a happy ending most of the time?"

"In stories."

"Aren't our lives like a great storybook in progress?"

The bell chimed again. This time, it was Ibuki. His eyes scanned across the restaurant before finally meeting the pink head. His face brightened up. "There you are!"

Raelyn tilted her head slightly as Ibuki made his way towards her. "I just heard about tonight's festival. I never attended one—I mean, I heard about it when I was a kid here, but of course I didn't attend and there's no such thing back in the city."

"Starry Night?"

"Yes," he said. "Will you go with me?" Raelyn held her breath. "As friends, of course," he quickly added.

Raelyn frowned slightly, weighing her options. Going to the festival with him didn't mean that she would be his girlfriend or anything along those lines, but it would still mean she would be in his company—and perhaps only his company—for the rest of the evening.

It didn't sound wise, but there's nothing else wrong with it.

_Follow your heart_

* * *

Iris watched Raelyn went out with Ibuki in silence. "Seems like your advice backfired," Raeger commented as he leaned over the counter. "She doesn't seem like it, but she could be quite impulsive sometimes."

The slender woman shook her head. "This is just like how I thought it would be."

"Ibuki and Raelyn? I thought you ship Klaus with Raelyn."

"You cannot compare without something to be compared against," Iris pointed out. "And… what's a story without its conflict?"

"Ever the author, Miss Iris Delacroix."

Iris chuckled wryly. "Does that make me a bad person?"

"No. It's quite the contrary, even. Lessons are better not served on a silver platter."

* * *

_Anyone with Iris and Raeger on this?_

_Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review ^^_


	26. He Says: You Have Changed

_Whew, it sure has been long since I last updated! I assure you, I don't forget about this story and all of you ^^ That said, without further ado..._

* * *

Ever since their encounter in front of her grave, Klaus did not see Raelyn around. However, since Oak Tree Town was a small town, news travelled pretty quickly. The spring that came right after Madam Eda's death, Raelyn apparently decided to go back to her hometown. Klaus managed to get her hometown address from the Guild, but decided not to write for her birthday or sent some sweets for the Spring Harmony Day (something that Iris berated him for). It seemed that she thought the same, since he received no news from her on his birthday. She came back on Summer, though, and ever since then she worked on the farm industriously as if catching up for the time she had abandoned her work. Ever since then, except for occasional sight if she visited the town or festivals, Klaus barely saw her.

Two seasons passed without so much event.

Last spring, he heard that Ibuki and Raelyn were dating. It came as a shock to some and disappointment to others; apparently, Raelyn had been one of the most sought-after bachelorettes. Klaus took the news calmly, assuring both Iris and Marian that he was perfectly fine. He could tell that they did not really believe him, but he could not care less. All he needed to know that Raelyn had managed to move on; plus, Ibuki was more of her age than him.

Before he knew it, now snow started to fall on Oak Tree Town again. Feeling bored being inside of his house, Klaus decided to put on his coat and took a short walk outside.

"…he cares about the likes of me…"

Klaus stopped on his track. Somehow, that voice didn't sound very foreign in his ears. Klaus looked around and found a small crowd forming on the stairs in front of the Town Hall. The raven-haired man walked towards the crowd. When he realized what happened, he held his breath. At the same moment, the man standing at the center of the crowd noticed his presence, "Boss!" he exclaimed.

Klaus quickly composed himself and made his way through the crowd towards him. "I think you have said enough," he told him calmly.

The reporter lady was not having it, though, as she pointed the microphone towards him. "Mr. Klaus, so you were really _that_ different when you were young?"

Klaus waved her away as he left the crowd as quickly as he could.

* * *

They made a glaring companionship: a well-dressed man and a thug. It was even more unusual that it was the thug who adopted a more submissive demeanor. Nevertheless, they sat facing each other at one of the outdoor tables of the restaurant; each of them having a drink.

"How do you know I'm here?" Klaus asked.

"Um… actually… I don', Boss."

Klaus raised one of his eyebrows. "Hm?"

The thug cringed. "N-no! Really, I don'!"

The perfurmer sighed long. "Never mind that," he said in defeat.

"B-but you changed a lot, Boss! I don' expect you get all class and stuff!"

"Yet, you still recognized me."

"O'kors! Always know 'he alpha!"

Klaus glared at him. The thug immediately shut his mouth and looked down. "O'kors… must be ashamed if people know you are buddies with the likes o' me."

When he heard that, a pang of guilt struck his heart. His features softened at the person sitting in front of him. "I don't mean it to be that way, Bud."

"Boss…"

"So… how long are you going to be here?"

"Truth is, 'm leaving soon. Got business to run."

"Oh? What business are you doing now?"

"Shipping stuff—legit, o'kors!" he quickly added after noticing Klaus' reaction. "Been stayin' on the right track!"

"That's good to hear," Klaus told him sincerely. "Next time you're here, tell me. Don't go to reporters again."

"Roger that, Boss!"

* * *

Klaus saw Bud off, waving his hand at his old friend. Apparently, now he was working with the trader from the Wheat Country. Klaus chuckled at the thought that he would be seeing Bud often from now. Unlike him, Bud did not change a lot.

After the wagon that carried Bud was out from his sight, Klaus turned around with the intention to go back home. However, a figure caught his attention and he stopped on his track.

"…Raelyn?" he called hesitantly.

Raelyn nodded slightly and approached them. "I saw you earlier," she stated in an even tone. This unsettled Klaus; how should he react? What could he say when she didn't offer anything to carry on with the conversation? "Perhaps we could talk?"

"Of course," he replied, perhaps too quickly but he could not care less. "Perhaps we could do it while we walk back to your farm?"

Raelyn nodded and they started walking towards the mountain. Of course Klaus did not forget how they often did it in the past. Klaus glanced at her and noticed the ring she wore around her neck.

"How are things with Ibuki?" he asked, trying to sound calm about it.

"We are fine."

"He is a good person," he noted. "I'm glad for you."

Raelyn nodded while making a "mm-hmm" sound. Nothing else was said between them afterwards and a heavy silence sunk in. They simply walked through the mountain trek, leaving their footprints behind.

_Should I ask her?_ Klaus thought bitterly. He had tested the water earlier and was not sure whether he should proceed; but, what else would he lose by asking, anyway? Better strip the bandage fast to get over with the pain as soon as possible. "Are you planning to marry him?" he asked while carefully eyeing her reaction.

She seemed surprised by the sudden question, but she quickly composed herself. "It would be ludicrous to date him if I don't consider marrying him, wouldn't it?" she asked back.

Klaus chuckled wryly. "You have changed, you know that?"

"Pardon?"

"You are much more mature than when you first came here."

She sighed long, forming a white cloud of warm smoke in front of her mouth. "I guess it's inevitable, given the circumstances."

"What circumstances, exactly?"

She gave him a sharp sideway glance, but that look changed into a gentler expression soon enough. "Lots, Mr. Klaus. Lots of them."

"Is that why you suddenly came up to me and asked for a conversation?"

After a brief moment of silence, she nodded. "Partly."

"Please do go on."

"I…" Raelyn stopped on her track and looked down as blush started to cover her cheeks. For a moment, she reverted to the Raelyn he remembered in his memories: shy and nervous, but adorable all the same. "I wanted to tell you how sorry I am."

Klaus held his breath. "I beg your pardon?"

"I… I regretted what I told you that time. If you're willing to look past that, I…"

"Raelyn, a lot of things happened to you at that time. It's perfectly fine, I can understand that."

Finally, she looked up and Klaus noticed the tears that welled up in her eyes. "I lost so much that winter."

Klaus, not knowing what would be the best response, finally simply nodded in acknowledgment: "It all a part of growing up."

He saw her chuckling and quickly rubbed her eyes. "I can walk the rest of the way myself, Mr. Klaus," she said. "Thank you for accompanying me this far."

He was about to offer to walk her back all the way to her farm; they were more than half-way through, anyway. However, Raelyn picked up her pace and left pretty quickly. Klaus simply watched her back slowly getting farther and farther away from him. It was a truth that, however bitter, he had to accept: she had changed.

* * *

_So much for a change, huh?_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review ^^_


	27. She Says: You Really Don't Care

_Whew! How long has it been?_

_I'm sorry everyone, I hope you haven't forgotten about these people and this chapter could make it up!_

* * *

_Raelyn stepped down from the wagon just in front of the stone arch that clearly read: _Welcome to Echo Town_. She narrowed her eyes; the sun in Echo Town was more unforgiving than in Oak Tree Town. She took a deep breath, reveling in the air around her. She had almost forgotten how long she had missed the light, leafy scent mixed with the earthy scent of stones that this town gave. Now that she felt it, though, she could not lie and said that she felt completely satisfied._

_Raelyn was about to start walking back when her nose caught a very familiar scent: fresh grass and cherry blossom, beaten up with the heated scent of sweat. The young woman looked up and saw a pair of fierce green eyes. Raelyn held her breath. In an instant, she went back to a little girl, one that worried about her mother's imminent scolding. "Mom…?"_

_"__Lynn…"_

* * *

"Raelyn…?"

Raelyn blinked a few times. "Oh! I'm sorry!"

Ibuki pouted. "I take it you weren't listening?"

The pinkette gave him an apologetic smile, rendering Ibuki unable to be upset at her any longer. He chuckled lightly and repeated his earlier question: "Are you still up for a walk?"

Raelyn looked at the sky. A few clouds started to form and the air temperature had been dropping steadily. She could also feel that her nose started to hurt. Nevertheless, earlier the weather forecast said that it would be sunny all day.

Her eyes shifted towards Ibuki. When was the last time they went on a date? It was not that they had not been spending time together; they were neighbors and fellow farmers, after all. However, Raelyn's memory was rather hazy with regards to the last time they spent some quality time as a couple. She knew Ibuki harbored some concerns about how they were drifting apart; this walk perhaps could alleviate that.

"Yeah, we could…"

* * *

_"__You're running away from something, right?"_

_Her mother was never one to beat around the bush. Raelyn cast her eyes downwards at her intertwined fingers that she placed on her lap. She tried to come up with reasons, all those things that had been floating around in her head as she packed her luggage. Yet, none came to mind and she was left with a weak: "Yes… although I don't think it's utterly wrong."_

_Her mother narrowed her eyes, proving that she was interested in her point. Raelyn took a deep breath and continued: "I… I'm simply putting some distance for now. I'll face it when I'm ready."_

_There was a moment of heavy silence before she heard her mother said, "Then… you wanna tell me about it?"_

* * *

After wrapping up with their farm duties: all of the crops watered (although there weren't so many of them); the animals still blissfully grazing with the dogs herding them; and the makers working on the products they should be working on, they set out for the promised walk. It was nothing much, actually, just a walk from the mountain to the Piedmont, taking in the winter scenery. Raelyn decided to change her worn-out bandanna to a simple hair clip to keep her fringe neat and let go of her usual loose ponytail. Ibuki grinned approvingly when he saw her. "You look great."

She couldn't help but to blush a little. "Thanks…"

* * *

_Elma, who had taken over her mother's occupation as the town's postwoman, arrived pretty early. When Raelyn caught her pixie-like figure, she dropped the basket on the field and ran over to her. "Elma! Is there any—"_

_"__Nope, sorry, Raelyn… not today."_

_Raelyn stopped and hung her head low. "Oh, I see…"_

_"__Someone you're waiting for in particular? I'll be on the lookout."_

_Raelyn thought of Klaus, but she quickly dismissed it. But then, whose letter she had been waiting for exactly? And why?_

_"__Um… forget it. Sorry, Elma."_

* * *

"How about stopping by at Raeger's? I'm pretty starving."

Raelyn put her hand on her belly and felt its subtle rumbling. She only had a glass of milk for breakfast and they hadn't had lunch. No wonder she started to feel hungry. "Sure."

Raelyn circled her arm around Ibuki's as they walked into the town. Just as they were about to enter the town area, they passed by Gunther and Corona. "Oooh, if it isn't our lovely farmer couple!" Corona greeted with jolly. "Are you on a date, too?"

Ibuki grinned sheepishly. "You could say so."

"Well, I wouldn't want to take too much of your time. Have fun, you guys!"

"You too."

Raelyn bowed slightly as the older couple left. Subconsciously, her eyes followed them as they headed towards Piedmont. She heard from the townspeople that Corona was ten years younger than the carpenter. Corona was born and raised here; she was the daughter of the previous carpenter. One day, Gunther moved in as her father's apprentice and that was how they got to know each other. Since they were around each other most of the time, it should not be too surprising if they grew close to each other. Still, the news of their courtship shocked many—their age gap was just one of the things that kept the talk going around the town.

It was amazing that the couple seemed to be unfazed by it.

Raelyn's train of thought was interrupted when Ibuki tugged gently at her.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Oh, I was just wondering… what should we get at Raeger's. I'm starving!"

Ibuki studied her for a moment, but decided not to press her. He _was_ starving, too. "First thing first, let's go there."

The pinkette nodded in agreement and they walked towards the restaurant, only to someone else: Klaus… with a female companion.

Raelyn held her breath as the two couples stopped at their track almost simultaneously. Klaus was the first to break the metaphorical ice. "Good afternoon to both of you."

"Hey, Klaus!"

She met his golden eyes for a moment, but refusing to hold his gaze for any longer, she bowed slightly. "Good afternoon, Mr. Klaus."

* * *

_Today was the thirteenth day of Spring. Raelyn woke up to her family singing Happy Birthday to her. Just right after that, someone knocked on the door. It was Elma. "Hey, Raelyn, you might wanna see this—a letter from Oak Tree Town!"_

_Raelyn dashed over and took the envelope from the postwoman, oblivious to her father's dagger stare, her brother's I-know-it look, or her mother's cheeky grin. Raelyn flipped the envelope over to see the sender._

_Ibuki Tanagawa._

* * *

From where she sat, Raelyn could clearly see what Klaus and his companion were doing. Chatting, mostly, and she couldn't make out their conversation. However, she could see the delight on his face as he spoke to her. It was something that she had almost forgotten.

"…lyn? Raelyn?"

Raelyn realized that she had been ignoring Ibuki and immediately apologized. He took it in stride, but they didn't talk much throughout their meal afterward.

They finished earlier than Klaus and his companion.

"Ibuki, I need to do something in town… just go back without me," Raelyn said as they walked out from the restaurant.

"I can accompany you."

"No, it's fine. I'll see you later?"

Ibuki looked at her rather skeptically. A moment later, he sighed and nodded. "Be careful, Raelyn."

"You too."

* * *

_As the end of Spring looming closer and closer, there was still no word from him. No word at all. Raelyn pondered over whether she should send him a birthday card, but looking at how he didn't contact her at all, she was not sure whether that would be wise of her to do so._

What if he doesn't want to talk to me anymore?

_Raelyn bit her lower lip, weighing the possibilities._

_She gazed forlornly at the card on her desk. Something was already written on it:_

Dear Mr. Klaus,

_Raelyn took a deep breath and with one long stroke crossed the words out._

* * *

"…Raelyn?"

Raelyn turned around and found Klaus, alone. She rose from the bench placed at the park just outside his house and walked over to him. Even as she stood before him, she debated herself for the countless time on whether she should _really_ ask him. The question she ended up keep to herself as they walked back together a few days ago, substituted by an apology. "Why…?"

"Pardon?"

She raised her chin and stared at him squarely. "Why didn't you write to me at all?"

This time, it was his turn to hung his head low. "I… I am not sure it would be wise for me to do so."

"What do you mean?"

"I clearly hurt you during our conversation before you went back. I do not wish to aggravate you by writing to you."

Raelyn was taken aback by his reply. "But I waited for your letter!" she blurted out. "I waited like a fool, thinking that… perhaps you care enough to… write to me."

His golden eyes widened in surprise. Nevertheless, he quickly regained his composure. "Did he write to you?"

There was no question on who Klaus was referring to. Raelyn nodded meekly as she tried to hold back her tears.

"I see. He truly cherishes you, that much is clear."

Raelyn clenched her chest, feeling the pain taking root in her heart. "You really don't care, do you?"

She watched his face suddenly turned cold and stern, and he did not meet her eyes as he told her: "Go home, Raelyn."

* * *

_It seems like the miscommunication(?) has cost them dearly..._

_Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

_Thanks for reading! Don't forget to rate and review ^^_


	28. He Says: My Past Is Catching Up To Me

_I hope you guys haven't given up on this story..._

_Enjoy this chapter!_

* * *

"But I waited for your letter! I waited like a fool, thinking that… perhaps you care enough to… write to me."

That revelation came to him like a thunder on a sunny day.

_She was waiting for me?_

"Did he write to you?" he asked, partly out of curiosity, partly regret.

She nodded gingerly. Klaus could only chuckle bitterly inside. "I see. He truly cherishes you, that much is clear."

It was meant as a consolation—to whom, he was not sure. It also served as a reminder, to whoever needed it, about the current _status quo_. The pinkette clenched her chest and glared at him, tears already hanging at the corner of her eyes. "You really don't care, do you?"

It hurt him terribly to watch the state she was in. _Should I comfort her? But, if I do…_

Suddenly a glimpse of someone at the distance behind Raelyn caught his attention. It was only brief, but that was all he needed. Chill ran down his spine as those words found their way back into his memories:

_"…__I'll hunt ya down and destroy everything ya hold dear! EVERYTHING! Ya hear me?!"_

"Go home, Raelyn," he told her sternly.

The young woman, obviously still upset, followed his words and trudged back into the mountain. Klaus began to wonder whether he should escort her, but if the person he caught a glimpse of earlier was really whom he thought it would be, perhaps escorting her would backfire. Therefore, he remained where he had been.

Klaus closed his eyes and took a deep breath, feeling the sharp cold winter air entering his system.

* * *

_His big, round eyes and radiant complexion made him an ill fit to the world he was seeking to enter. He was rather young, too—no older than thirteen. Nevertheless, he proved his worth and was added to his pack. As per the tradition, it fell to Klaus as the Alpha to greet the new recruit, Nik._

_"__Welcome to the pack, Nik," Klaus greeted in an even tone. "From now, you are our brother as we are yours."_

_The young boy nodded eagerly as he grinned. Klaus could sense the disapproving murmur behind his back, but personally, he could appreciate that boyish innocence. He couldn't help but to smile a bit. "Let's take a walk."_

_Klaus turned on his heel and started to walk away. He glanced over his shoulder to ensure the boy was following him. "Yer the one they called the Alpha, right?" Nik asked eagerly._

_"__Yes."_

_"__The one who took over the Queen, right?"_

_That took him by surprise for two reasons. One: for someone of that age, Nik was quite well-informed about the rumors of this world. Two: the Queen. It had been some time since anyone spoke of her name._

_Most of his current territory used to be under the legendary Queen and his basecamp was known to be her throne in the past as well. However, truth to be told, everything about the Queen was regarded as a legend—including her sudden disappearance. His relatively quick rise as a gang leader was partly thanks to this rumor, actually._

_"__What're we gonna do in the area?"_

_"__Patrolling, ensuring that the area is safe. That's why we must have a fearsome reputation, so that other gangs don't even think of messing with our territory."_

_"__Ain't that what cops are for?"_

_Klaus exhaled long. For a brief moment, his thoughts flew back to the only thing that was left of his birth family: the memory of them. "Cops only move when things already happened… and sometimes they're just too late."_

* * *

When he opened his eyes, there was only an empty winter scenery before him, with the not-so-bright town lamps as the source of light. _Was it only my imagination? Was I thinking too much because of Bud?_

Whatever it was, Klaus decided to turn back to his house. Just before he stepped in, the chill came back to him again.

"Sup, Alpha."

_That voice_. He could recognize that voice anywhere. He immediately stopped on his track.

Klaus glanced over his shoulder.

"Were you talking to me? It seems that you mistook me for someone else."

The sound of that man's laugh pierced the otherwise silent winter evening. "Ya can try be a sheep all ya like, but yer scent is that of a wolf! Ain't that yer motto? 'Always a wolf'?"

Klaus gritted his teeth. He should have known better; there was no fooling that person. Klaus turned around.

That man seemed lankier than Klaus remembered him last. For starters, there were scars he could not remember seeing before; his nose bent slightly to the side. One thing remained, though: he was a relentless hunter.

"Ya think ya can live in peace after what ya done?"

"Bars didn't clear your mind, I see…"

Suddenly, that man threw a fist at him. Klaus quickly dodged to the side and push his arm slightly away, throwing his attacker slightly off-balance—or so Klaus thought, because the next thing that he knew was a sudden pain in his stomach and he was thrown back from the pinwheel kick. Klaus groaned in a low voice. "Prison's a good trainin'. Always keep ya on yer toes!"

"I can see that. Good for you, I suppose."

"And nightmare for ya and those ya care for!" He stalked closer to Klaus and grabbed his collar. Klaus could smell the mix of tobacco, beer, and blood. "Ya remember what I said back then? I come to make good of me word."

He threw Klaus back to the ground and left. Klaus could feel his heart pounding against his chest and sweat starting to form despite the coldness. One person came into his mind… and he could only think of one way.

Klaus forced himself to stand up. Instead of walking back to his own house, he staggered towards the Antique Shop. He knew he must do it now, when he was sure that _that person_ was not in this area. With one hand holding his pained stomach, he knocked on the door continuously.

The door swung open with Iris on the other side. She was clearly annoyed, but when she saw the state he was in, her annoyance immediately turned into worry. "Klaus! What happened to you?"

"Sh! We need to talk—in private."

"You don't want to go to Mari—"

"Iris, please."

Iris clammed up and nodded understandingly. She let Klaus in and helped him to reach the nearest sofa. Mistel saw him and approached him in worry. Before he could say anything, though, Iris stopped him and said: "Please fetch Marian."

"It's fine. This is not as bad as it seems…" Klaus groaned.

"You need to see him as soon as possible!"

Klaus looked at Iris helplessly. "I won't die even if I don't see him for another hour, but if that person saw Mistel dragging the town doctor to this area, he would surely figure out that Mistel is related to me."

Iris hesitated for a moment before relenting to Klaus' demand and asked Mistel to wait upstairs. She quickly prepared a bag of ice and a cup of warm tea and served them to Klaus before taking a seat across him. "Now, I think you have something important to tell me."

He nodded curtly. "My past is catching up with me, Iris… in this town. That person… he came back."

She looked at him with a puzzled expression. "That person… who?"

Klaus pressed the ice pack against his pain, feeling the cold starting to numb his senses. "The last person I would want to cross path with these days…."

"What do you need me for?" the novelist asked straightforwardly. "Surely, there is something urgent you want to tell me."

Klaus nodded. "Raelyn…"

"But, she is not alone in the mountains. Ibuki would…"

"Could you just check on her, just for a moment, please? Get someone to go with you for your safety… but don't be too obvious."

Iris chuckled in an attempt to lighten up the situation. The wryness in her voice couldn't be missed, although Klaus still appreciated her effort all the same. "Subtlety has always been my forte."

* * *

_Blood was dripping down the edge of his hands as the soreness began to crawl across his knuckles. He panted heavily as Craig struggled to get back on his feet. He knew he beat him a good amount, but his opponent was known to be one of the toughest in the area; Klaus couldn't be sure whether this was enough to force his submission._

_Klaus looked around. Most of Craig's crew were already beaten or fled the area. His own crew was not much better, either. It really came down to between the two of them._

_"__Look, we can end this now, Craig. None of our guys can take more fight now."_

_Craig wiped off the blood that trickled down the corner of his mouth as he glared at Klaus. "Ye bastard!"_

_Craig brandished a knife. In a last-ditch effort, he dashed towards Klaus with the knife blade pointed straight at him. Klaus' fatigue caught up with him in a bad timing; he was not fast enough to evade it._

_Suddenly, a figure stood between him and the knife, taking the blow meant for him. It surprised both men._

_"__Nik!" they called out in unison._

_Nik stared at Craig. "Brother…" he panted. "Don't… Alpha is… good."_

_"__Nik! What'cha sayin'?! Nik! Nik!"_

_Nik fell onto the ground with a thud. Craig and Klaus forgot their fight for a moment and tended to him. Klaus held his breath when he saw his wound; even if they rushed him to the hospital now, there was no guarantee he would make it out alive._

_The two young men could only watch in silence as he drew his last breath._

_Craig glared at him. "It's yer fault Nik died. My little brother… ya played his with mind and now he died cos of ya! I won't forgive ya, I'll hunt ya down and destroy everything ya hold dear! EVERYTHING! Ya hear me?!"_

* * *

_With his past slowly catching up on him... what will Klaus choose?_

_Wait for the next update!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review ^^_


	29. She Says: You Don't Trust Me Enough

_teamBLAZE: as noted by Saifore, the game hinted that Klaus had somewhat a rough past. Not necessarily a gangster, but yeah..._

_In any case, everyone, keep on the lookout for Klaus and Raelyn! ^^_

_Enjoy this chapter!_

* * *

Much to her surprise, Ibuki was waiting outside her house when she arrived. Raelyn picked up her pace to meet him, "Ibuki! What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for you," he replied with an even tone.

Raelyn stood still. She could sense that Ibuki was upset. She tried to reach out to his hand, but he refused it. "…Ibuki, is there something wrong?"

He snickered wryly. "Is there something wrong? Honestly, Raelyn… do you get to ask that? _Is there something wrong?_"

The pinkette held her breath. "I don't understand what's going on."

"You went to Klaus after our date, right? Seeing him is the 'thing' you needed to do in town, right?"

Raelyn took a breath. She saw no point in trying to lie to him and so she nodded. "Did you follow me?"

It was his turn to nod.

"Why, if I may ask?"

"Because I knew that something _this_ would happen!"

"This… what?"

"You and Klaus!" Ibuki retorted. "Honestly Raelyn, do you expect me not to know about your history with Klaus? My first interaction with him was him ready to pounce on me if I had my way with you back then!"

Subconsciously, Raelyn clenched her skirt. "I do not wish to recall those times."

"But I—no, we can't ignore it any further if we are to continue be committed to each other!"

"What do you mean?"

"Raelyn, if you are to choose between me and him, right here right now, who will be your choice?"

That question caught her off guard. She released the grip on her skirt, just staring at Ibuki blankly. "W-what?"

The blond man smiled wryly. "The fact that you can't answer me right away tells me a lot."

"…you're not giving me time—"

"Time? Seriously? What about that whole Spring when you're gone and we've been writing to each other?! When you came back to this village and agreed to go out with me, wasn't it fair for me to take it that you've moved on from him?" He grabbed her hand and put it on her view. "Don't you think I won't notice that you're not wearing the ring?!"

Raelyn felt a surge of anger began rising in her. However, she suppressed it; she could see where he was coming from, although she was still disappointed in his lack of trust to her. She calmly shook her wrist free; Ibuki did not grip her too hard, so it was not difficult to do. "You followed me although I've told you I'd see you later."

"That…! That's because…"

"You don't trust me enough."

"Yes!" he admitted. "And from what I've seen, you didn't prove me wrong!"

Those words stung her. Raelyn closed her eyes, feeling the heat coming from the tears that were ready to burst out at any moment. Instead she took another deep breath and opened her eyes to look straight into Ibuki's blue eyes. "Maybe I don't, maybe I am indeed not worthy of your trust. But none of this betrays the fact that our relationship does not have the trust it should have… and I don't think that's a good thing, don't you agree?"

Raelyn could see shock sprawled across Ibuki's face. It took him some moments before he could mutter: "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying… we should break up."

"You… you're not denying that you are still in love with Klaus?"

Raelyn took a moment to ponder on the question. She recalled the suffocating feeling she had when she faced Klaus lately. It was, of course, different from the nervousness she felt around him throughout the first year in town, or the secure companionship she had around Raeger, or the comfort she began to feel around Ibuki. It might prove that she retained some feelings for him, but what was it and whether it was the same with those she had previously, or—more importantly—whether it was what called as 'love', she had no idea.

"I honestly don't know what I feel for him. But, I will tell you what I know. I feel comfortable around you, most of the time, until you showed me how much you don't trust me. That… that I cannot have if I am to continue going out with you." Raelyn pulled her necklace and showed Ibuki the pendant that was previously hidden: a ring that was very familiar to Ibuki, for he mined the materials for it himself before having it forged into a ring in the next town.

"You… you have the ring?"

"I do," she replied, as she unchained the necklace and took the ring out. She took his hand and pressed the ring into his open palm. "I'm returning this to you."

"Raelyn, I…"

"I have wronged you by agreeing to go out with you even with my unresolved feelings for him. Our relationship had gotten off on the wrong foot. This bound to happen one day… I'm sorry."

Ibuki finally took the ring with him and nodded solemnly. "I appreciate that, Raelyn. Although, I'd like to think I'm not as dumb as you seem to think I am."

"Huh?"

"I told you right? I was aware of your relationship with Klaus, whatever it was. When I found out you left the town, I guessed he had something to do with him. I never asked him, but I decided to take my chance and wrote to you for your birthday. The rest is history. I guess… I'd always known that you still have feelings for him, but I thought I could take you away from him and one day you would choose me instead. I thought I could wait for you… but when I saw you earlier, when we met him and his companion… the look on your eyes… it's just something I never see when you look at me. That's why I did what I did…"

Raelyn hung her head and stared at the space between their feet.

"Do you want to give this another try?"

She lifted her head. "What?"

"Both of us made mistakes, but I… I still want to try and save this. For us."

"I…"

"You don't have to answer it now. It's getting late, too. Keep this for now."

Ibuki returned the ring back to her and walked back to his farm. After some moments gathering her thoughts, Raelyn put the ring into her pocket and walked back to her house.

"…Raelyn!"

Raelyn turned around and found Raeger and Iris climbing up towards her farm. Raelyn ran towards them. "Raeger? Miss Iris? What are you doing here at this hour?"

"I bumped into Iris in town and she told me she wanted to visit you. I guess I could accompany her while doing some restocking."

Raelyn turned to Iris. "Is there something urgent that you need to see me now?"

Iris smiled sweetly. "It's not really urgent, but I feel like I need to say it before I forget. You see, I'm thinking of a new story… and a want to write with a ranch as the background. So, would you mind if I visit you from time to time to see how you work?"

"Ah, I don't mind… but my routine starts quite early."

"My, how industrious! Would you be okay if I stay over another day, then?"

Raelyn shook her head. "Just tell me beforehand so I can prepare you a bed. Do you guys want some hot chocolate?"

"Hot chocolate sounds good," Iris agreed, followed by a nod from Raeger.

* * *

_Raelyn and Ibuki's relationship was saved... for now._

_What would happen next?_

_Stay tuned to find out!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review ^^_


	30. He Says: I Do Not Expect To See You

_Hello, everyone! Thank you for continue reading this far! I hope you have been enjoying Klaus and Raelyn story since the beginning. Looking at the reviews, a number of you guys were quite shocked by Klaus' past rough life. Believe it or not, that's not all that there is to his story!_

_Read on to find out!_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

A jab, a hook, an upper cut. Dodge, tackle, then an elbow jab. Sprung back to his feet, rinse and repeat.

Klaus stopped after the burning feeling in his muscles was too much to be ignored. He dropped to the floor and stared blankly at the ceiling. He knew that he was way slower, and possibly weaker than the Alpha he had been in his prime.

_At this rate, Craig would…_

Truth to be told, if Craig had been here to finish him off, he would have taken it as a favor. But, if Craig truly made good of his words… it wasn't his life he was after.

_I cannot let him know about her. And she, too… at all cost, she can never know._

* * *

_He didn't know how long he had been walking. He didn't know how far he had walked. He didn't even know where he was walking to. All he knew was that Nik was dead, and dead because of him. All that he could see was Nik's hollow stare at the space and pale skin._

_This was not the first time he encountered a corpse; this was not the first time someone he knew met their end in a gang fight, but Nik's was one death too many for him._

_The last of his energy spent, Klaus simply dropped to the ground. He struggled to roll over his body, feeling the warmth of the sun on his face in the midst of the pain from all of his injuries._

_Would his parents be proud of him?_

_Maybe he should have written to Iris and Mistel—he had never done so ever since they were taken by their distant relative. He hoped they were doing well._

_Klaus let out a long breath. His eyelids began to feel so heavy. He could hear someone's voice in the distance._

_"…oh my God, he's still breathing!"_

Perhaps, not for too long…_ he thought._

* * *

Iris let him know, through a small note, that until this morning, she had been staying at Raelyn's farm under the pretense of research for her new story.

_Everything is fine over there._ _I wish you would not isolate yourself too much and actually pay her a visit. Now that things had turned the way they are, I feel that it is only a matter of time she learned the truth, and I believe that it would be better if she learned it from you yourself rather than other sources. _

_What do you have to lose, Niklaus Adler?_

Klaus folded the note and put it away on his desk. For all of the stories they had exchanged when they were reunited, it occurred to him that he had never told her one particular story, because her name brought such bitterness in him…

* * *

_She stretched out her hand. "Alycia Weatherby, you can call me Allie."_

_He looked around. This place was certainly foreign to him. "Klaus… where am I?"_

_She took her hand back gingerly. "Uh… my house? I found you lying on the ground unconscious, so I brought you here."_

_"Ah, I see… I'm sorry."_

_"Where do you live? I don't think I've seen you around."_

_Klaus averted his gaze. Thankfully, she did not press the matter further. "You can rest here until you recover and you can… continue your journey."_

_That evening, he met Mr. Weatherby, who had returned from his long travel. Much to his surprise, the patriarch of the house was not offended to find a male stranger in his house. Instead, he invited him to dinner. Just like his daughter, he did not press on matters that Klaus did not wish to answer and reiterated the invitation to recuperate at their place. When Klaus refused but unable to give them an answer as to where he would stay the meantime, the invitation turned into something they insisted upon him._

_Resolving not to be dead weight, Klaus began to help out in the household. There was no other young man in the house, so they appreciated his help. One day, when he was cleaning the hallway, he noticed that the door to Mr. Weatherby's study was slightly ajar. He could also hear low crackling noise coming from inside the room and decided to take a peek. The old man was standing in the midst of complicated arrangement of glass tools and liquids of various colors. Klaus watched as the color began to change when he mixed two liquids together. It was like magic._

_"Is that you, Klaus?"_

_Startled, Klaus took a step back. However, the old man laughed and walked over to the door and opened it. "Are you interested to see what I'm doing? Come on in."_

_Klaus nodded, and before he knew it, he was learning what Mr. Weatherby's trade as a biochemist together. The old man introduced him to various herbs and roots that could be used for medicinal purposes, as well as some simple concoctions that could come in handy._

_Allie had also been learning under her father and was more than happy to help Klaus in catching up. They spent their free time by studying together, if not doing some housework. It was her who noticed Klaus' acute sense of smell, and suggested that perhaps Klaus would be more suited to be a perfumer. Mr. Weatherby told him that he happened to have an old friend, a perfumer by trade, who was looking for an apprentice. Klaus immediately agreed to be sent away._

_Allie helped to prepare his transfer, and he braved himself to ask her out for a walk. She happily agreed._

_"Allie, I cannot thank you enough for what you and your father had done for me."_

_"To think that it all began with me finding you dying on the street…" Allie mused. "I am glad you decided to stay with us, although now that you are moving, I will be lonely again."_

_Klaus took a deep breath and mustered up his courage. "I… I will write to you, if that alleviates your loneliness. And I will visit as soon and often as I can."_

_"Klaus…"_

_"I… one day, after I have become a proper man, I… will you have me?"_

_He could see her cheeks began to flush red. He counted inwardly, wishing that she would give an answer and not leave him hanging._

_He thought he couldn't be happier when he saw her face beamed into a smile and nodded. "Yes, I will."_

_They continued their walk, now hand in hand. Allie assured him that her father would surely approve of him, and they began planning for the future, _their_ future together. When they reached the marketplace, they noticed a commotion near one of the stalls._

_"I wonder what happens there."_

_Klaus began to feel uneasy. "Allie, stay here, I will be back soon."_

_She nodded and he went closer to the crowd. Apparently, some street thug was harassing one of the vendors but no one dared to intervene. Without further thought, Klaus jumped straight between them and subdued the harasser._

_However, he did not expect that someone else would jump into the conflict and attacked him instead. Klaus immediately jumped back, but his sleeve was torn in the process, revealing his right arm for the first time ever since he had been in this town. Much to his surprise, those thugs froze in their place when they saw his arm._

_"This… cannot be! You're the Alpha, right?!"_

The Alpha_, a name he had not heard for so long and did not expect to hear. Especially now, when he thought he could turn over a new leaf._

_Realizing who they were up against, the thugs scampered away in fear. Receiving the merchant thanks absent-mindedly, his thoughts wandered to Allie. He hoped that she stayed still where she was and did not hear the name that was just being said. The crowd began to disperse, but one figure remained._

_"The Alpha… what is that? Who are you, really?"_

_Left with no choice, Klaus told her his story. She said nothing then. He moved two days later, and he made good of his words of sending her a letter. There was never a reply._

_Just as he completed his apprenticeship, he heard that she had moved away and was no longer Allie Weatherby._

* * *

Over the course of his recollection, Klaus had navigated himself to change his clothes to a more proper attire and walked outside of his house. He actually welcomed the chill. He decided to sit down on a nearby bench, staring the empty playground.

Sometimes, Klaus wondered what would have happened if he had ignored the commotion and stayed with Allie. Maybe if she had not found out in such manner, she would have stayed. Then again, he was at fault too, asking for her love while keeping a part of him in the dark from her. He was too naïve back then, thinking that his past would not matter.

He was such as a fool.

The first few months were hard, she would not leave his thoughts. But as months turned into years, memories of her would only resurface at rare moments, although it was still as vivid. Every time it happened, he consoled himself by keep telling himself that, at the very least, that one afternoon, he knew how it felt to have a happy dream.

"…Mr. Klaus?"

Klaus turned with a slight jerk. Sure enough, Raelyn was standing behind him. He immediately scanned their surroundings. Except for a few visitors, hers was the only face he could see.

"Raelyn, I did not expect to see you today."

The young woman nodded slowly. "Miss Iris told me… you have been very busy with work, so you have not been out often. She forgot her scarf this morning, so I thought… I might drop by." She reached into her basket and took out a black takeaway bowl with a transparent plastic cover. From where he was, he knew what it was: bouillabaisse. "I think you might need to heat it first."

Klaus was so touched by her kindness that for that moment, he forgot that he wanted and was supposed not to see her. In that moment, what mattered to him was her, him, and that bowl of cold bouillabaisse.

"Thank you, Raelyn, truly…"

He could see the corners of her lips turned up slightly as her cheeks were dusted in rosy color.

* * *

_Just for a moment, Klaus is reminded how Raelyn cares for him. And yes, it is still in the present tense_

_So, for fangirlasfxck, they might seem distant after the separation and what-not, but I would not really say that the feelings are gone, y'know? Sometimes, the apparent coldness is to hide something beneath..._

_In any case, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!_

_Thanks for reading! Rate and review ^^_


	31. She Says: Let Me Go

_Hey, everyone! Thanks for reading this story up until this point! I hope you are enjoying the ride!_

_Sairofe: Honestly, in the draft she **was **going to die, but then I decided not to kill her. Main reason being, I feel like the way she left him, by simply not returning his letters and just left him for another shows her outright rejection of his past and therefore who he was (and at that point, his being a gangster was a really significant part of him as a whole). This would be more painful to the newly lovesick Klaus than, perhaps, if I killed her. Not that death of loved ones is less painful, but... I hope you get what I mean. Heartbreak because of her leaving was a new kind of pain for Klaus. I think that's the best way I could put it._

* * *

_While Raelyn was aware that Iris was around, the blonde novelist was so silent that her presence was almost undetectable, except for her perfume. It was just a small dab around the wrists and the back of her ears, but enough for Raelyn to know where she was._

_"If I may ask, what kind of story do you have in mind, Miss Iris?"_

_"A story of growing up. I think a farm would be a marvelous symbol for it."_

_Raelyn nodded in delight. "Yes! Here, you watch many things grow up. Would your main character be a woman, too, as always?"_

_"Yes, surely. A young, female farmer who will learn what it means to grow up, love and lose."_

_The pinkette farmer hauled the bucket full with cow dungs and brought it outside, near the Maker Shed. Iris' scent was getting further away, for an obvious reason, but was still close enough to give Raelyn a respite from the smell of what she was carrying. She loved animals, but certainly this was not her favorite part of the job. She made a mental note to visit Gunther when the shop was open, in case there was something that could be done to solve this plight._

_Raelyn washed her hands—her gloves, actually—before she moved on with the field. Iris was already waiting for her nearby. "This farmer, what is she like?"_

_"Hmm… I'm not sure yet, but I'm thinking of having someone who is gentle and reserved, like a flower bud."_

_"I think I can relate to her, then…"_

_Raelyn crouched down and brought her nose close to a patch of broccoli sprout. _It should be ready tomorrow_, she thought to herself. It was then popped up in her mind: broccoli was one of Ibuki's favorite vegetables. In fact, part of the reason why she grew it was so that she could share some with him._

Ibuki…

_He popped up in her mind now and then. Ever since that evening, she had not seen him around. He seemed to make it a point not to bump into her, because, how else could two farmers-neighbors never cross paths in three days?_

* * *

Raelyn walked back to the mountains after she returned Iris' scarf. Up until now, she had not seen Ibuki at all. Perhaps she should visit him? But, what should she say to him? Truthfully, she was not really sure whether she was ready to answer the question he left her with the last they conversed.

* * *

_"Miss Iris, you have written a great deal about love… can I ask you something?"_

_"Sure, Raelyn, go ahead."_

_"How… how does it feel like? How do you know that the feeling you have is love? _The_ love?"_

_Raelyn saw Iris' gentle gaze studying her carefully. Something in Iris reminded Raelyn of her aunt, perhaps their gentleness? She was sure, however, that on one way or another, Iris had been the elder sister she never had. "Before I answer your question, would you mind answering one of mine first?"_

_Raelyn weighed her option, and after a while, she nodded._

_"Did something happen between you, Klaus and Ibuki?"_

_She nodded again. Iris smiled serenely, as if had been expecting such answer. "I take it you are confused as to what you feel towards the two of them?"_

_Another nod._

_"I have… some experience myself, but even then, I'm not sure whether I can answer you satisfactorily. However, I believe that love is not always showy and flashy. In fact, love that endures is the one that grows quietly over time, taking roots in your being, and when you realize it… it's already there. Sometimes, love is not all about being comfortable with one another… in fact, many times it's about making each other uncomfortable in a way to make each other a better version of themselves. Changes are uncomfortable, and to love is… I suppose, a change."_

_"What about the saying that true love accepts you for who you are, then?"_

_"I'm not saying that's wrong, but you see—there's a difference between accepting and encouraging a positive change—" Iris took the watering can in Raelyn's hand. "—you see this? You upgraded this tool to make it better, right? Does that mean you did not accept it the way it was?"_

_Raelyn shook her head, starting to see the similarities Iris was trying to show her._

_"So, between these two… what do you think?"_

_The pinkette took a deep breath. "I must admit, these days… I'm more comfortable with Ibuki around. We're of similar age, so I don't feel the need to be so… formal around him."_

_Iris nodded, encouraging her to continue._

_"Yet…"_

* * *

The sun had just set, so Raelyn took out her lantern and lighted it up. When she stepped into the pond area, she began to feel… strange, like someone else was there. Was it the Harvest Sprites? No, they usually went away before dark.

"…Ibuki?"

No reply.

_Wild animals?_

Raelyn struggled to pick up her pace towards her farm. She started to regret for not bringing Yin at times like these. It was then her nose caught a foreign scent.

* * *

_"…yet?"_

_"Yet, there are times I cannot help but wonder… how different it would be if it had been Mr. Klaus instead," Raelyn admitted. "I know he dismissed it as childish infatuation, or sisterly affection, but how could it be so if I keep comparing him and Ibuki? I thought these imaginations—of me and him—were because I did not get a proper closure with him, so I went and asked him… but he turned me away. Now, I'm so confused…"_

* * *

A thin figure appeared from behind one of the larger trees near the Goddess' Pond. "Who are you? Are you lost?"

Raelyn put up her lantern so she could get a better view of that figure. It was a man she had never seen before, with angry-looking face and a nose slightly bent to the side. Ever since more traders came more frequently to the town, Oak Tree had received more and more temporary visitors. Could this man be one of them? What was he doing out here near the Goddess' Pond? Could he be making offerings?

Raelyn put her reservations and suspicions aside. "The town is that way," she told him while pointing at the general direction to the town. "Go down that road, you'll then pass the flooded field and the grain field area, just continue—"

Suddenly the man lunged at her. Shocked, Raelyn dropped the lantern to the ground and reflexively grabbed his left arm, turned on her right heel while at the same time locking his arm with her free arm, and then threw him across the field with one big sweeping movement. Raelyn was surprised to find that she could execute that move properly while not in training, with a force enough to send him some meters away from her. Must be a result from her farm work. Her shoulder was slightly sore from the weight, though.

It was a move she was taught back at home. She had never thought she would actually use it, much less with such a force. _Mom would be proud_, she thought for a moment, her heart swelling with pride and gratefulness.

Much to her surprise, that man quickly recovered on his feet. He stretched his back and rotated his waist. "For a small bitch like yerself, yer ain't bad!"

Her past life in the city and interactions with the traders familiarized her with many accents, but not this one. She could barely make out what he was trying to say, but fear began gripping at her. Raelyn took a tentative step back while she reached into her rucksack. _Tools… tools…_

Raelyn had just found something with a handle—a hammer? An axe? A hoe? A sickle?... hopefully not her herding bell—when that man began to speak again. "Ya know jerk called Klaus?"

_He knew Mr. Klaus?_

She pulled out whatever she was holding and threw it at him when he made a step forward. It turned out to be her herding bell, but it was enough to distract him. Raelyn immediately fled from the area.

"Damn ya, bitch!"

Raelyn was too focused on the man pursuing her that she didn't properly see where she was heading at. Instead of her farm, she ran towards the tea, fruit and spices fields. When she realized her mistake and was about to turn back, that man had caught up to her.

_Oh no!_

"I know ya know dat jerk," he said as he slowly stalked up on her.

Raelyn quickly rummaged through her rucksack and pulled out the first thing she could get her hands on. This time, it was her brush. Without thinking any further, she just threw it, but he easily deflected it and pounced on her, pushing her to the ground with his hand around her neck. Raelyn struggled furiously against him.

"Let me go!"

"Naw naw lemme got a good look on ya… ya quite a looker, don'cha?"

Raelyn pulled his fingers with all of her strength, and when she felt that his grip began to loosen, she placed a well-aimed kick at his crotch. It was not enough to knock him out, but enough to let her go. However, since he blocked the only path out, Raelyn made the daring decision to head to the fruit field instead. Perhaps, she could make a detour and trip him with the terrain?

However, he was more agile than she had expected. Every climb, every drop, he managed to stay on her trail. Raelyn thought perhaps she should throw more of her tools at him, but quickly decided against it. With her bell and brush already out, most of her tools were either sharp or blunt and heavy—either way, they could literally kill someone.

Suddenly, Raelyn tripped on a slippery snow. She fell into the ground, face first, and when she managed to turn around, he was already hovering above her. She tried to trip him, but he evaded her easily. "Come on… be a good girl and stay still, won'tcha?"

In her desperation, the pinkette rummaged for her shears and brandished it in front of him. "Stay away from me!"

The man grinned wickedly and twisted her wrist with an unexpected amount of force, forcing her to drop the shears. "Ya put up a good fight, but yer fool if ya think that could stop me!"

Raelyn felt her tears were at the verge of bursting out as she tried to wriggle her hand free from him.

"Answer me, ya know Klaus?"

Raelyn was confused as what to say, but when he jerked on her hair roughly, she cried out. "YES! YES I KNOW HIM!"

"Good… good…" he put his lips so close to her ear, bringing with him the suffocating smell of cigarette mixed with sweat to her nose. Raelyn started to feel dizzy, and disgusted when she felt his breath on her ear as he asked: "Ya close with him?"

"What do you want from me?"

"At first? Nothing lots, just someone to shack with… but after what yer done, seems like we gonna have it rough, bitch. And since ya said ya know Klaus, I wanna ask a thing, or two."

"…let me go, please…"

"Naw naw, ya threw all that shit and now ya want me to let ya go?"

Raelyn took a deep breath and put everything she had in one exhale: "HELP ME! ANYONE, PLEASE!"

That man released his grip on her, only to slap her hard across her cheek. She slumped into the ground. He roughly grabbed and turned her body, forcing her back against the cold ground by pressing her using his weight. Her struggle was in vain, too, since he held down her hips and her arms by pinning his knees on them. She tried to kick him, but her legs were simply not long enough. He clamped her mouth shut with his hand, muffling away her screams. He then took the shears from the ground, and using it, he began to cut away her shirt. Raelyn trembled when the cold air began to touch her previously covered skin, and more when she imagined what would happen after this.

"Milky skin… haven't had this for quite some time… I'll enjoy ya."

Raelyn closed her eyes shut, not having the willingness to see that man doing whatever he intended to do to her. _Help, anyone… please…_

Then, she heard a smacking sound, and then a loud thud.

"Don't you ever dare to touch her, bastard."

_That voice…_

Carefully, she opened her eyes. Much to her surprise, she saw his towering figure in front of her, while her assaulter slumped to the ground nearby. His raven hair was darker than the winter night, like feathers of a crow, while his golden eyes flashed in an intense emotion she had never seen before.

Raelyn blinked once, twice, then thrice, but Klaus' figure remained where he was. She was not imagining it. Klaus was here, saving her. Questions began to appear in her head, like what was he doing here at this time of the day, but one baffled her the most:

_Did he just… cursed?_

* * *

_Klaus came at the nick of time!_

_His confrontation with Craig cannot be avoided any longer!_

_What would happen next? Stay tuned to find out!_

_Thanks for reading! Please tell me what you think of this chapter through your reviews!_


	32. He Says: I'm Not Letting Him Get Away

_Whew, I can't believe how far we've gone since the first chapter! This chapter will be pretty long, so bear with me! Oh, and more curse words coming, don't say I didn't warn ya'all!_

_teamBLAZE: quite an emotion-rollercoaster, eh?_

_Sairofe: thanks for the compliment! I'm currently on my semester break, which is why I have more time writing :)_

* * *

Something did not feel right by him. Perhaps Iris was right, he should visit her himself—but didn't she just stop by earlier?

_In fact… that made me more worried_.

Klaus put the bouillabaisse he had received from her on his dining table and quickly grabbed his coat and scarf. He walked towards the mountains with a lantern he grabbed from the horse station on the town's entrance; the town did provide some lanterns for public use.

_Maybe she's already back at her house, cooking dinner…_ he mused, _if that's the case, then all is well…_

He could imagine her baffled look, and then her gentle, sweet voice: _"Mr. Klaus, is there something the matter?"_

What would he give as an answer? That would be a matter of later.

Klaus stopped on his track when he noticed a fallen lantern just outside of her farm. Klaus picked it up from the ground and noticed the pattern on the casing—it's hers. He looked around, noticing how the snow had been disturbed in his immediate vicinity. _Oh, shit_, he thought to himself.

Klaus looked around, there were two sets of footprints towards the fields behind the pond. He immediately gave chase, but a part of him hoped that this was just him being paranoid and that she was actually safe and sound in the warmth of her home with Ibuki.

No one was there when he entered the field area. However, Klaus noticed the footprints.

"YES! YES I KNOW HIM!"

That scream crushed his hopes. Klaus picked up his pace, climbing up while looking around. When he reached the fruit field, he saw a figure at the distance. Klaus quietly approached it. As he came closer, he recognized Craig.

"HELP ME! ANYONE, PLEASE!"

He then heard the slap. Fury built up quickly within him. He picked up the pace, then he heard him said: "Milky skin… haven't had this for quite some time… I'll enjoy ya."

Klaus clenched his fist. Craig did not notice him. Just as he was within his reach, Klaus swung his leg as hard as he could, sending his old nemesis crashing to one of the nearby trees. "Don't you ever dare to touch her, bastard."

He remained unmoved, slumped in front of the tree. Klaus knew that would not remain for long. Still, he diverted his attention to Raelyn, who had sat up on the snow, her round, wine-colored eyes staring at him squarely.

"Mr. Klaus…?"

His initial instinct was actually to embrace her and just to hold her close. It took all the judgment and rationality he had left in his mind not to do so; he did not want to scare her even more than she had already been. Klaus noticed that a part of her shirt had been torn. He took off his coat and put it around her. As a good measure, he also put his scarf around her neck and draped it to cover the torn part. "Go home, Raelyn."

He helped her to stand up, but when he turned around to face Craig again, he felt her restraining his arm. "He's looking for you, Mr. Klaus! He's going to hurt you!"

He could see the fear in her eyes, but her words let him know that she was not afraid of him; rather, she was afraid for him. Touched by her concerns, Klaus smiled wryly. He touched her hand and gently pushed them away. "I'm not letting him get away from hurting you."

He turned around and noticed that Craig began to recover his strength. Klaus took off his inner vest and unfastened the first two buttons of his shirt. He also rolled up his sleeves up to his elbows. "Besides, I have to confront him sooner or later."

* * *

_He had been wandering on the street for days when a group of strangers approached him. "Ey, brat, what'cha doin 'ere?"_

_"Huh?"_

_They suddenly grabbed him and searched through his pockets. When they did not find anything of value—he had spent the last on his money on some rice balls and water yesterday—they proceeded to beat him up._

_"Oi, what if he's with her? We'll be dead!"_

_"Impossible. Look at dis pat'etic runt! Been long since I got some punc'ing bag like this!"_

_The previously hesitant guy joined in to kick him. "You're right. Better enjoy this!"_

_Klaus shielded his head with his arms and folded his legs to protect his body. Maybe he should have gone with Mistel and Iris, but after what happened with their parents…_

_Maybe he should just die on the street this way. Alone, just like a stray dog._

_"What the fuck are you doing over there?!" a woman's voice shouted._

_The beatings promptly stopped, but Klaus did not dare to open his defense. "Where do you jerks come from?"_

_There was no answer._

_"You know what happened to those who create trouble in my territory?"_

_Klaus heard the sound of fighting briefly, and when it stopped, he braved himself to open his eyes. It was then he laid eyes on her, a young woman with deep red hair and clear, fierce green eyes. She crouched down to meet his eyes and offered her hand. "Are you okay?"_

_He gingerly took her hand. "…thank you."_

_Before they could talk further, two men came running. "We heard someone fighting! Are you okay?"_

_They stopped when they looked at three writhing bodies on the ground. "W-well… as always, Queen… you barely need us."_

_From the corner of his eyes, he could see her grinning. "Thanks for the thoughts, though."_

* * *

"Naw naw… the Alpha came to rescue his cub, ain't it?"

Noticing that Raelyn was still there, Klaus raised his voice in urgency. "Go! Now!"

Finally, she left.

The two men began to close their distance from each other. They stopped just as they were within each other's range. Craig bent his knees slightly and put his arms up in front of his face—an orthodox boxing stance. Klaus pulled his right leg behind and raised his arms, too, but he did not clench his fists. Craig grinned when he saw his stance.

"Ain't it bring back memories, Alpha?"

"Memories? Sure, I'll remind you why I was the Alpha… _and you never were_."

* * *

_"What did I tell you about joints?!" she asked while evading yet another of his strike._

_"Y-you're too fast!"_

_"Not my fault! Keep your eyes on me, kozo!"_

_When he managed to dodge one of her attacks, he saw his opening. Recalling the steps she had drilled into his head, he grabbed her wrist, pulled it up and then guided in a circular motion—forcing her to turn her body—and when she lost her balance, he would strike and pin her down. Her body flowed with his actions and she fell with a practiced movement. "You're a fast learner," she complimented him with a smile._

* * *

Incited, Craig did not hesitate to make the first move. Klaus, now more prepared than their last encounter, grabbed his shirt, pulled him closer while at the same time turning on his heels and slammed his opponent to the ground. Craig groaned and writhed in pain.

Klaus took two steps back and caught his breath. He had to finish this fast. Klaus did not waste any more time; Craig barely stood up when he grabbed his right arm, spun him around and twisted his arm behind his back. Klaus was pretty sure he could hear the cracking sound from Craig's shoulder when he delivered the last blow. Now, at least Craig should have difficulties in using his dominant hand.

* * *

_They sat down on the relatively empty park, enjoying the ice cream the Queen had bought for both of them._

_"Soon, I think you're good enough to defend yourself. No more being beaten up or dying on the side street for you, hopefully," she remarked._

_"Thanks… but, why? Why are you helping me? You barely know me."_

_She turned to face him. He could never forget her face then. The way the sun shone on her red hair, or how her green eyes looked gentler compared to when she was leading as the Queen. "The Earth may be round, but the world is never fair… that's why I think we should try to be as fair as possible to each other."_

* * *

Klaus was caught off-guard when Craig delivered a roundhouse kick right on his side. Klaus slumped to the ground but recovered as fast as he could manage, but Craig was faster. He grabbed him and slammed him to the nearby tree. The force from his back being smashed to the tree trunk was more than enough to incapacitate him. Craig grabbed his collar, pressing him against the trunk. Klaus quickly grabbed Craig's wrist, trying to twist it away, but Craig was stronger than that. "We'll meet 'im soon, Alpha…"

Craig drove the shears he had taken from the ground into Klaus' stomach. Once, twice, then thrice. Blood began to seep out from the open wounds onto his white shirt.

"But I'll have ma fun with dat bitch before I go."

Craig's words filled Klaus with an unspeakable anger, enough to give him the strength to strike Craig's outstretched elbow and force him to let him go. Klaus dropped onto the ground on his feet, carefully maintaining his balance. His head was dizzy as his blood began to be drained away by his wounds. Not wasting any time, Klaus twisted Craig's left arm and then threw him away, smashing him to another nearby tree.

"It's one thing to kill me to avenge Nik," Klaus muttered as he walked towards Craig, who seemed to be as injured as he was. Their positions reversed, Klaus put his hand around Craig's neck. "But, hurting her? _I'll fucking kill you_."

Klaus was so blinded by his rage that he forgot Craig still had the shears in his hands. Craig stabbed Klaus' neck with the last of his energy. The pain forced Klaus to let his opponent go and blood began to drip down to the snow when Craig put the blades out. Both men slumped to the ground, the last of their energy spent. He heard Craig coughing a few times, and it was then he saw a light at the distance.

"There they are! Hurry up!"

_Raelyn…_

* * *

He opened his eyes to a blinding light. It took him some moments to adjust to his new surroundings. He took a breath, _hays, leaves, warm milk_…

Klaus started to shuffle his body around. "Please don't move!" Raelyn said as she rushed to his side. She quickly arranged some pillows to help him up more comfortably. He muttered a low 'thanks'. "Dr. Marian said it's too dangerous to bring you to the clinic, so he treated you here instead. He already went back, though."

"…how about Craig?"

Her face darkened. "Dr. Marian told me, he's already very sick. He… he didn't make it."

_We'll meet 'im soon, Alpha…_

Now he understood why Craig hunted him down now and uttered those words. Klaus looked at Raelyn and realized that she was staring at his upper arm, more precisely, his old tattoo.

"A wolf… is that why he called you the Alpha?"

_So she heard_. He nodded.

Klaus realized that his upper body was covered in nothing else but bandages over his wounds. That way, Raelyn could also see his other tattoo, the one directly above his heart: an eagle guarding a golden cross on its heart, surrounded by a wreath of black roses. She said nothing, but after all that had happened, Klaus knew she deserved to know the truth.

"I lost my family in an armed robbery. Iris and Mistel's parents took me in. A few years later, they passed away in an accident… I couldn't save them. I ran away, and that's how I started to be involved in gangs. That man earlier, Craig… I caused his brother's death in one of our fights. His name was Nik."

Raelyn nodded. Her eyes were lackluster. _This is it_, he told himself, _Raelyn would never see me the same way again, just like Allie…_

Much to his surprise, Raelyn rose from her chair and hugged him. "It must've been very hard for you," she told him in a low, soothing voice. "Thank you for surviving everything."

"W-what?"

Raelyn let him go and went back to her seat. She put her hand above her heart. "And thank you, for saving me."

"You don't understand, Raelyn… if it hadn't been for me, he would've never been in this town and you'll never—"

"You came to save me, Mr. Klaus… and you almost died. I didn't know what would happen if… if you didn't make it, too."

He could not believe what he'd just heard. After all that happened, she was still concerned for his well-being. A mixture of disbelief, relief, and gratefulness watched this lone wolf away. He brought his hand up to touch her cheek. It was wet from her tears. "I'm sorry that he hurt you… I would never forgive myself if something were to happen to you."

"I'm just glad that you're here, Mr. Klaus."

"Remember what I said about being eaten by a big bad wolf if you're not careful?"

She gazed at him. Her eyes looked so gentle and soothing. She put her hand on his. They were slightly rough from the callouses from her farm work, but at the same time, they were almost unbelievably warm against his skin. She smiled serenely. "I know I'm always safe with you."

All reason or worry about being improper thrown aside, Klaus cupped her face in his hands and closed the distance between them. Raelyn closed her eyes while at the same time holding his hands a little bit tighter.

He kissed her softly, carefully, as he took in her scent—of cherry blossoms, wine, and chamomile. Her lips were soft and warm against his, and they were wet from her tears. He would trade nothing away for this moment, while at the same time wondering why he had not done it earlier.

They parted after what felt like an eternity. Her face was flushed. "Mr. Klaus…"

"Raelyn, I…"

He was interrupted by the sound of someone opening the door. They turned their head and Ibuki was standing on the other side, staring at them with his mouth slightly open.

"Well, this is awkward…" the blond farmer muttered.

* * *

_Ooooo was Klaus about to say it?! XD_

_One thing after another, now it's Raelyn that has some 'tidying up' to do, eh?_

_What would happen next?_

_Stay tuned to find out!_

_Thanks for reading, please rate and review! ^^_

_A/N: this chapter is one of the hardest chapters I've written for this story so far. I was really struggling as to how should I end Craig: letting him live with probably leave Klaus (and us) the lingering fear of his coming back, then should Klaus kill him? Honestly, in one of the earlier drafts, it was even **Raelyn **who killed Craig (to protect Klaus), or at least Raelyn was a clear and willing complicit to kill Craig, but can she deal with the psychological burden that comes with it? How will Klaus deal knowing what Raelyn had done too?_

_After a long period of thinking and reviewing, I think this is a 'moderate' middle-way. Craig will no longer haunt Klaus, but his blood is in no one's hands, at least not enough for them to feel like they killed him. It also explains why Craig was hell-bent to find Klaus now instead of other time: he was already dying to begin with, and he intended his fight to avenge Nik to be his last. Unlike Bud (if you guys still remember him) who found a way to turn his life around, Craig died never changing._

_Personally, I like how Raelyn accepted him as 'the Alpha' while at the same time gently rejected the notion of him being 'the big, bad wolf' he warned her against by reminding him that he has kept her safe. And if you guys noticed, Raelyn's scent that Klaus caught last was the same scent with the perfume he gave her way, way early in the story._

_In any case, I hope you guys are excited for what's coming next! ^^_


	33. She Says: We Didn't Have The Chance

_Hey everyone, thank you for the reviews! It is so heartwarming to know you've been enjoying Klaus and Raelyn's story! ^^_

* * *

When they kissed, that was all Raelyn could feel: how he carefully cupped her face in his hands, and how he kissed her so carefully as if she would dissolve into nothingness otherwise. Her heart was racing wildly inside of her, a part of her hoping that Klaus would not notice it or else she might die out of embarrassment.

_Is this for real?_

She gingerly opened her eyes when they parted; it was really him who was there in front of her and no one else. "Mr. Klaus…"

"Raelyn, I…"

His words were cut off by the abrupt opening of the door. Both of them looked at the visitor, and Raelyn could feel her heart fell when she saw who it was.

"Well, this is awkward…" Ibuki muttered wryly.

Without saying anything else, Ibuki turned on his heels and left. He didn't even close the door back. Following that, Klaus flipped his blanket open and reached for his shirt, but Raelyn immediately stopped him. "Please stay still, Mr. Klaus! Your wounds!"

"Let me talk to him."

Instead of letting go, Raelyn held onto him even tighter than before. "No, it is I who should talk to him."

She put back the blanket over Klaus and immediately went after Ibuki. He was already back at his own farm, standing absent-mindedly facing his house. The pinkette decided to carefully approach him.

"It's a cold night, you should be in your house," she remarked gently.

"So should you, Raelyn… with him." Ibuki turned around and finally came face to face with her. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking straight, going to your house when he was clearly there. Then again, I was just about to check up on you, you were pretty shaken when you asked for my help earlier."

"Thanks for the concern…"

He waved his hand dismissively. "I'm just being a good neighbor, don't sweat it."

His choice of word did not escape her. Raelyn smiled wryly. "Neighbor, huh?"

"That's why you came after me, right?"

Raelyn reached into her pocket and took out the necklace Ibuki returned to her back then. She took his hand and placed the necklace on his open palm. This time, he closed his hand and took the necklace with him.

"I do hope he makes you a damn happy woman, Raelyn…" he murmured. "That's the only way he can justify all this… but before that, give me one last favor, will you?"

"Hm?"

Ibuki moved forward and kissed her forehead. He lingered slightly longer than their usual goodnight kiss, but she said nothing of it. "Parting gift."

Raelyn watched as Ibuki turned back and went into his house before walking back to her farm. When she came back, however, Klaus was already nowhere to be found with her extra bed already made. There was a note left on it:

_Raelyn,_

_I cannot impose further on you. Do not worry about me, I will see Marian at my earliest convenience. Please do not forget to lock your door tonight. Good night._

_Klaus_

* * *

As soon as she finished her morning routine, Raelyn headed to the town. Much to her surprise, she saw Raeger near the pond area. "Raeger?"

"Oh, hey, Raelyn!" the chef jogged leisurely towards her. "Did you hear? A dead man was found in the forest yesterday!"

"A-ah… really?"

She then remembered what Marian told her before he left the previous evening after he handed her some sleeping pills:

* * *

_"You need this tonight, honey."_

_"What about Mr. Klaus?"_

_"My, he will die faster out of his worry for you. Otherwise, that lone wolf will live. That being said, he shouldn't move around too much if he doesn't want his wounds to reopen."_

_Raelyn nodded. "Doctor, can I ask you for a favor?"_

_"Hm? Yes?"_

_"I… is it possible if the town doesn't know what really happened? I mean… I…"_

_Raelyn could feel the doctor studying her carefully. Much to her relief, he smiled. "What happened tonight was that Ibuki called for me because he found a body in the forest," he told her. "But, Raelyn, honey… promise me you will see me soon, especially if you cannot rest."_

_"I will, doctor, thank you."_

* * *

"It's rare to see you going to town this early. Something urgent?"

Her mind immediately went to Klaus; the way closed the distance between them, the kiss…

"Um, Raelyn… your face is red. You alright?"

That snapped her back to reality. She grabbed Raeger and dragged him to an even more secluded part of the forest. "Eh?! Hey! If Ibuki saw us, wouldn't he be jealous?"

Raelyn looked around to make sure that no one else could hear: "Raeger, I want to tell you something, two things, actually…"

"Okay?"

"One: I broke up with Ibuki."

"What?!"

"Two," Raelyn felt a lump in her throat. She swallowed it down and uttered the words: "Mr. Klaus kissed me."

"WHAT?!"

The pinkette immediately put her hand in front of the chef's mouth and warned him to be quiet. He nodded and Raelyn pulled her hand back. "All happened yesterday?" he asked.

She nodded. Much to her surprise, Raeger laughed and patted her shoulder. "'Atta girl! You sure are popular with the guys! You'll be very dense not to realize it."

_Said someone who doesn't realize how many fangirls he has himself…_

Raeger quickly gathered his composure and cleared his throat. "That aside… have you talked about it with Klaus? Are you guys official now?"

"Uh… no. We… didn't have the chance."

"How about you? What do you want?"

"I… I don't know."

"Well, you just have a break-up. As a close friend, I'd advise you to think this through. You have a surprising impulsive side, keep that in control. I suppose I don't have to tell you this, but there's more than just feelings to sustain a relationship."

Raelyn nodded grimly. "Thanks, Raeger."

Noticing her sullen mood, Raeger pinched her cheek affectionately. "No matter what happens, you have a free dish at my place that you can claim anytime."

This time, she managed to smile. "I'll take you up on that later."

* * *

The bell chimed when she swung the door open. "Welcome!" Corona's cheerful voice greeted. However, Raelyn saw nobody behind the counter. "Just give me a minute, I'll be right with you."

A few moments later, Corona emerged from the back and her face beamed up when she saw who the visitor was. "Oh, Raelyn, perfect timing!"

Raelyn tilted her head slightly to the side in confusion.

"I just finished baking a cake. Come on back and I'll give you a slice!"

This time, it was Raelyn's turn to beam up. She nodded and Corona led her into her house. The smell of a freshly baked cake greeted her almost immediately when she walked into the dining area. Corona invited her to sit down and gave her a generous slice of a cake, covered in a pale yellow cream.

Raelyn took a small bite. She loved the softness of the cream and the fluffiness of the cake itself. "Wellll? This is the first time I baked this, what do you think?"

"It's pretty good, actually."

"Really?" Corona beamed up. "Was it too sweet?"

Raelyn took another bite. "It's fine, but maybe you'll want to add a bit more lemon to the cream."

"Oh, I thought about that, too!"

The two women were talking about the cake and baking in general when Gunther arrived. He greeted her amicably. "Hey, there, Raelyn! I didn't know you're here. Kick back and relax all you like, okay?"

Raelyn smiled and nodded, then Gunther turned to face his wife. "What's going on, dear?" she asked.

"Oh, I just came by to pick up some tools." He noticed the cake on the table. "Baking again? Careful eating too much of those, you'll get round around the waist."

Corona puffed her cheeks. "Hey! I'm trying to make a good one for you!"

Gunther laughed. "You know, you never baked a bad one before. I'll eat anything you give me."

That seemed to soothe her. Gunther bade goodbye to the two women and quickly went back to work. "Say, Mrs. Corona… you are much younger than Mr. Gunther, right?"

Corona nodded. "I'm ten years his junior!"

"Was it hard?"

Corona didn't reply immediately. She just stared at the pinkette, and Raelyn felt bad for asking such a personal question. She was about to apologize when the older woman smiled gently. "There are some challenges, sure, but it's all worth it. All relationships have their own challenges, right?"

"How… how did it happen?"

"I tried dating around," Corona admitted with a giggle. "Initially, I did that in denial of my own feelings, then to see whether Gunther will get jealous, but he didn't fall for my trap. In fact, he always, aaaalways wish me luck with each of my boyfriend. And he's always there for each breakup. One day and don't know how many boyfriends after, I snapped and asked him 'instead of wishing me luck and then consoling me why don't you become my boyfriend yourself?!' Best question I've ever asked in my whole life."

The bell chimed again. "Welcome!" Corona walked towards the shop and Raelyn followed behind her.

"Mrs. Corona, I'm here to take the lumber sample," Klaus said in his usual deep, calm voice.

"Oh, right, of course!"

While Corona was looking for the item Klaus asked for, the raven-haired gentleman finally noticed Raelyn's presence. Raelyn could not really hide her embarrassment when their eyes met; she kept thinking back of the time when they kissed.

_What should I say to him? Oh my Goddess, should I just say 'hi'? Wait, is he well enough to walk around already?_

"Raelyn, a pleasure to see you here," Klaus greeted her first, his voice betraying nothing of his emotions than necessary. It was just like his usual greeting.

"M-Mr. Klaus… how are you?"

"I'm fine. Marian told me a body was found in the forest area, I hope you'll be careful when you venture there."

She nodded gingerly.

"Here it is!"

Corona emerged to the counter again and handed Klaus a small package. Raelyn could smell a faint scent of oak and cedar. "Thank you, Mrs. Corona."

Klaus made his payment and walked out from the store, and Raelyn could do nothing but to watch him leave. A part of her was glad that Klaus seemed to be fine and he had seen Marian as he had promised, but another part of her was rather disappointed at how… _usual_ Klaus had been with her. It was as if nothing had happened between them.

Raelyn did not realize that while she had been watching Klaus' back, Corona had been watching her. The carpenter's wife smiled knowingly.

"You know, Raelyn, the thing with much older men? Sometimes they're too scared to make the move. You just need to go for it and take the first step." She patted Raelyn's shoulder. "You'll never regret the things you tried. Only the things you've never tried."

* * *

_Corona seems to have joined(?) the ship!_

_What would Raelyn do?_

_Stay tuned to find out~_

_thanks for reading, please rate and review ^^_


	34. He Says: I Love You

_fantasyanimegirl283: heeeeyy welcome back! and here's another chapter to set sail ^^_

_StarGirl06: you'll see soon enough :)_

_teamBLAZE: hahaha it's almost funny at how shy these two could be! Remember how shy Raelyn was when she first met Klaus?_

_Sairofe: how he managed to do it is covered in this chapter, and he'll pay the price soon enough for doing it. As for Corona, aside from me liking her character personally, I think she is a suitable 'mentor' so to speak for Raelyn in terms of her relationship with Klaus because of her own experience. Out of all people in town, aside from Iris and Raeger, I think Corona and Gunther would be the two least judgmental people towards KlausxRaelyn ship (they'll be such hypocrites otherwise, lol)_

_This chapter was made while I'm listening to Angel Beats! Opening theme: My Soul, Your Beats. For those of you who are familiar with the story, you might understand why I chose this particular song as you read this chapter. In any case, I'd suggest you guys to read it while listening to the song :)_

* * *

Regret always came a little bit too late. That was what Klaus felt right after Raelyn left to go after Ibuki. That was why the choice was clear to him when Iris burst into the house out of worry for Raelyn after she noticed that Ibuki was calling for Marian at such a late hour. She was more surprised to find Klaus on the extra bed, and was initially unwilling to help him move, but he managed to convince her. It also helped that she had taken one of the town steed to the farm.

When he woke up the next day, this time in his own house, Klaus felt his stomach to be numb. That, and a slight light-headedness. _Maybe some walk would go me good_, he thought.

Again, regret came a little bit too late. This time, he felt it after he walked out from the Carpenter's Shop. His abdomen started to hurt like hell. Klaus looked around, should he go to the Clinic?

"Mr. Klaus!"

Klaus looked over his shoulder and there she was, running after him. _This girl_, he thought, _what am I going to do with her?_

"I knew you shouldn't be up and about! Let's go to the Clinic!"

"I'm… fine, Raelyn."

"You don't look fine!"

Not having enough energy to resist her even further, Klaus allowed himself to be half-dragged by the farmer to the Clinic. When they entered the Town Hall, Veronica saw them and was apparently distressed at his condition. He saw her mouth moving, but could not make out what she was saying, her voice sounded more like an echo, so was Raelyn's reply. At this point, he felt his body became almost unbearably warm.

The last thing he remembered before everything went dark was Marian and Angela came rushing towards him.

* * *

The door in front of him looked so familiar—no, he _knew_ that it was familiar, but how could he be here, and not Oak Tree Town? He looked around, everything looked exactly the same like how he remembered it; it was like a scene taken directly from his memory. Klaus hesitantly reached for the handle; he barely pressed it when it went down, almost like it moved on its own.

Klaus saw that he himself began to revert back to his childhood self. He barely had the time to process his transformation when the door swung open and he saw his parents inside; his father was reading the newspaper on his favorite highchair while his mother was serving him some tea. She was the first to recognize him, she looked at him and smiled, "Welcome home, son."

"…Mom? Dad?"

This time, his father looked up. His face was stern initially but soon relaxed into a smile. "Where have you been? Your mother and I have been worried."

Klaus took some tentative steps into the house. "I…"

"Brother!"

Klaus turned around to find a little girl running towards him with outstretched arms. Like him, she also had raven hair and a pair of melting gold eyes. Her hair was gathered into a pair of high pigtails that swayed here and there as she ran. Klaus held his breath in disbelief, _this can't be_, he thought, but the warmth that he felt against his skin when she wrapped her slightly chubby arms around his waist and pressed her soft cheek against his body couldn't be any more real than it already was.

"You…" he turned to face his parents in confusion, but they looked amused by his expression instead.

"What's wrong, dear? That's your sister. She's been waiting for you, too."

* * *

Angela silently wiped Klaus' forehead, noting that if this kept up, they would need to change his clothes soon. She, as well as her mother, was made aware of the true nature of Klaus' injuries and the circumstances of the recently found body.

The guild master was initially displeased by Marian's attempt to cover up the incident, but only because she was disappointed that the doctor did not trust her enough. In fact, the guild master agreed wholeheartedly that, for everyone's sake, there was no need to probe into the matter further. She decided the matter was over with a note to the doctor that any time an incident came up, he should trust her enough about the truth.

The nurse looked over her shoulder and found that Raelyn still remained at her spot. Iris had also been called, since she had been listed as Klaus' medical contact person. Both women looked pale and each was trying to shake off their own nervousness; Raelyn was fiddling with her apron while Iris was biting her nail. Angela took a deep breath and walked past the curtain that separated the two sections. As she had expected, they swarmed towards her the moment they noticed her. "How is he?" Iris asked. "I shouldn't have followed his demands to bring him back to the town!"

Angela glanced at Raelyn. "He's starting to develop a high fever, possibly because of the weapon that was used." The pinkette farmer's face paled almost immediately. "Don't worry, fever is actually a sign that his body is fighting off the infection. Moreover, the doctor has administered constant antibiotics for him."

"When will he wake up?" Raelyn asked.

From her voice, Angela knew that she was about to cry. Truthfully, she was unsure as to how to break the news. Yet, if anything, she had learned that truth was the best policy. "That depends on him."

* * *

"My… sister?"

Unfazed by his confusion, the little girl began to tug at his arm. "C'mon, Brother, let's play! Play with me!"

"It will be dinner time soon, why don't you guys play afterwards?" their mother suggested. "Uncle Pierre and Aunt Daphne are coming by, I'm sure you remember them, Klaus dear?"

_Uncle Pierre… Aunt Daphne…_

* * *

Iris was, to say the least, shocked when she heard Klaus muttering her parents' name. She immediately straightened her back up, only to find that Klaus was still unconscious. His hand was trembling slightly. Iris moved to hold it and couldn't help but to worry when she realized how warm his body was. Her heart broke into pieces when she realized that Klaus was crying. She bent down and caressed his head gently, and whispered next to his ear:

"All these years, you've been eaten alive by your guilt, no matter how Mistel and I tried to assure you that it's not your fault… would death save you from it, Klaus? Am I being selfish if I want to keep you around longer?"

Iris rose and walked out form the partition just in time to see Raelyn walking back into the Clinic. She had left earlier to do her afternoon farm duties; Iris could tell that she was rushing back here as soon as she could.

_If only he knew how much she cares about him…_

* * *

As his mother had said, Pierre and Daphne Delacroix came over for dinner. "Where are Mistel and Iris?"

"They are not coming this time," Daphne replied. Her voice was pleasant and cheery, reminding him of Iris' voice. He looked up at her to get a good look at her face; her children had inherited both the color of her hair and eyes. Klaus could imagine Iris to grow up looking exactly just like her mother.

_Am I being selfish if I want to keep you around longer?_

That question came from the distance, from someone who sounded like Daphne Delacroix but not quite so.

"Huh? What?"

"What's wrong, Klaus?" his father asked.

Klaus blinked a few times. Pierre and Daphne Delacroix had joined the rest of his family in the dining room. They were waiting for him to join. "I… I thought someone was talking to me."

Klaus walked towards the dining room, but just before he entered the room, his sister called for him again. "Look what I found!" He turned around and she opened her palms to reveal a single firefly slowly drifting towards the sky. Its glow gradually grew brighter as the light in the room grew dimmer.

Suddenly a view of an open field with more fireflies appeared before him, at the center of it was a young woman, her hair just like the cherry blossom. She lifted her head, revealing her wine-colored eyes and smiled at him.

_Aren't they beautiful, Mr. Klaus?_

Klaus held his breath as his head became heavy and painful. That young woman felt so familiar yet so distant at the same time. She was almost surreal. "Who… who are you?"

As if responding to his question, that young woman rose and walked slowly towards him. _Why don't you call me 'Raelyn'?_

"Raelyn…"

The name brought an immense joy and pain in almost equal measure to him. He clenched his heart. "What is this feeling…?"

"Son, everyone is waiting for you," his father reminded him.

Klaus turned around and faced the rest of his family, as well as the Delacroix couple. "I will join you," he said.

His mother smiled at him, but different from her usual gentle smile, this smile of hers looked more sad than serene. "You will, dear, but not now."

"What?"

It was then he realized that the table was only set for five people.

"You have done enough, son. Stop punishing yourself," his father told him.

"Let us go, and be where you are supposed to be," Pierre joined in. "No soul is at peace knowing the guilt you have inflicted upon yourself."

His mother slowly walked towards him and pulled him into her embrace. "More than being alive, please live, just live…"

* * *

When Klaus came to, he was looking at a dark ceiling. He took a shallow breath, and the distinctive scent of antiseptic and herbs told him where he was. He looked at the end of his bed, his vision was still blurred, but he could roughly make out the two figures sleeping side by side on their arms; their hairs gave away who they were.

_Have they been waiting for me?_

It was then he recalled their words:

_You were not there, and now I can see you alive, and I'm thankful…_

_Thank you for surviving everything…_

Before he realized it, he was in tears again. How could he be so blinded by his guilt that he overlooked their unconditional affection? His ignorance and foolishness were almost beyond compare.

Raelyn was the first to wake up. "Mr. Klaus… you woke up?"

Iris followed soon after. After a smile while rubbing her eyes, she said she was going to call the doctor and left.

Raelyn moved closer to him. When she noticed the trails flowing from his eyes due to the tears, she said nothing and picked up the nearby washcloth that Angela had left earlier. She used it to wipe his tears together with the trace of his perspiration. She touched his forehead briefly. Her hand felt cold against his skin, almost painfully so.

"You're still warm… but at least you're awake."

His head was still painfully heavy, and his vision—although clearer than it had been—was still slightly blurred. A part of him hoped that she did not hear it. Or, if she did, maybe tomorrow, he would brush it off as a side-effect of the sedative, or simply a dream, but at this moment, he knew that these words rang true:

"I love you."

* * *

_Uh oh uh oh, the three words were said!_

_Stay tuned for the next update!_

_Thanks for reading, please rate and review ^^_

_A/N: __Maybe some of you would ask why Nik is not included in the 'party'. This is because the deaths of his immediate family and Delacroix couple had been the very root cause of his decades-long suffering, moreover, their deaths were really accidental and Klaus had no fault in it. Meanwhile, Nik's death, although it pushed our favorite gangster to the edge, was not purely accidental, Klaus did have a part in it (although indirectly, unaware and unwilling), and have admitted responsibility as evidenced by his response towards Craig._


	35. She Says: Klaus

_teamBLAZE: ohoho get ready for another round_

_Sairofe: Thank you! First and foremost, it is my pleasure to frequently update and interact with my readers who left reviews and questions. For me reviews are like markers as to how I have done with the latest update, and of course I love the fuzzy feeling I got when I know that people enjoy reading my writing ^^ Second of all, regarding Iris, I still remember even during the early period of SoS, many gamers agree that Iris would be the rival for Klaus' affection. In almost every thread about rival couples in SoS, there is little disagreement that Klaus and Iris would be rival for each other. Their closeness is not something that is implied. Thus, I think to write a story about Klaus without a sufficient nod to Iris would not be fair. Then the question is whether to present Iris as a rival (which sets the base for Pink Heart Event) or not? I decided on the latter because I kinda want to step away from a possible cliche of having a seemingly perfect rival, especially with Raelyn's character as the comparison._

_That being said, this time I want you guys to recall the very first line of this story - Rae the Little Doggy. Have you ever wondered how that came to be? You guys will find out how in this chapter! Onwards and enjoy ^^_

* * *

After what happened, Dr. Marian did not really trust that Klaus could be an outpatient, so he forced Klaus to stay in the Clinic. It had been a week since then, and Klaus was to be discharged today.

_I love you_.

She heard him, not loud, but clear. A part of her wanted to ask him whether it was meant for her, but her better judgment was against it. Her priority was for Klaus to get better. But, now that he was discharged, did she have another reason not to ask?

She had told Iris about it a few days ago. The novelist brushed off her deductions of Klaus being delirious from the medicine. Iris encouraged her to talk about it with Klaus as soon as she could.

She remembered Corona's advice:

_You just need to go for it and take the first step._

That would be something that her mother would have said, too. In fact, that was how her mother had always trained her children to do—be assertive, be bold, be brave. _It's… easier said than done, _she noted bitterly. When she knew it, her hands were already shaking. Years did nothing to alleviate it.

* * *

_It was her first day at school. Raelyn looked around; the building was still rather new. Either that, or this building was very well-maintained. It had the smell of polished lumber, similar to the insides of the studio back on the farm. She had walked with her brothers, but then they were separated into different rooms. Raelyn tried to reach out to them, "Nate! Rex!"_

_"Don't worry, dear… you'll have more friends soon," the foreign adult assured her in a soothing tone as she led her away from her brothers._

_The tall woman opened the sliding door for her and inside, there were already more kids of her age playing around. She recognized her cousin, Ana, and vice versa. "Lynn!" she exclaimed in joy, running towards her in an outstretched arm. Raelyn returned the hug in happiness—at least there was someone familiar here with her._

_"You should greet the others, too, Raelyn," the adult said._

_Raelyn looked around. There were other girls, and boys, too. She remembered what her mother had told her before she sent her off—be bold, be brave. She glanced at her cousin and she gave a reassuring nod._

_Raelyn took a deep breath and approached the nearest person and stretched out her hand. "Hey, I'm Raelyn, what's your name?"_

_"I'm Leah…"_

_"Let's be friends."_

_Leah smiled and nodded._

_The three of them played together until the tall woman came back and told them all that it was the time to study. They learned how to read and write. Raelyn told herself that one day, she would read bedtime story to her mom and dad instead of the other way around, so she put her all into this._

_Then, it was break time. Some of her classmates went to play, some went for a quick nap, and others decided to have some snack. Leah belonged to the last group; she went for her bag to retrieve her snack. Much to everyone's surprise, Leah cried out in distress. "My food is gone!"_

_Ana and Raelyn went after her and tried to calm her down. "It's my favorite nori crackers!"_

_"Nori… crackers?"_

_"Yea, the one glazed with soy sauce."_

Then, it should smell strong_, Raelyn thought. She closed her eyes and took a breath. She could faintly smell the scent. With her eyes still closed, Raelyn followed the scent, only stopping when she touched another bag. "I think it's in here!"_

_"That's my bag!" a boy, the biggest one in her class, shouted._

_Ana disregarded that and opened the bag Raelyn picked up. They found a yellow lunch box. "That's mine!" Leah and the boy claimed at the same time._

_"I saw my mom packed the crackers into it!" Leah insisted._

_"Okay, why don't we try something?" Ana suggested as she turned to face the boy. "Kyle, how many crackers inside?"_

_"Um… three?"_

_"Leah?'_

_"Five!"_

_Ana opened the box, and inside, there were five crackers, just like what Leah said. "You're a liar, Kyle!" the red-headed girl cried out._

_Much to everyone's surprise, Kyle went after Raelyn. "You sniff around like a dog, Rae!"_

_"Doggy! Doggy!" some of the boys began chanting. "Rae is the little doggy!"_

_Raelyn remembered what his brothers, especially Rex, always told her: when you feel unsafe, fight back. Armed with what she picked up while growing up with two older boys, Raelyn lunged towards Kyle and bit his arm. He cried out and pushed the little girl aside. "She is like a mad dog! She sniffs and bites!"_

_Raelyn looked around, the boys kept chanting "Doggy! Doggy! Rae is the little doggy~" and was one step away to make it a full-fledged song, while none of the girls—except Ana and Leah—stood up for her by trying to shut the boys up._

_Tears began to well up in her eyes, and it was then she felt something warm flowing between her legs. The scent was familiar to her nose, too._

_"Raelyn is pissing in her pants! The doggy is pissing!"_

_She cried, cried and cried._

* * *

As she walked to the town, she gathered some wildflowers. She had also brought some that she had grown herself. Maybe she could ask Kamil to arrange a bouquet—Lillie and Angela had told her that he was a professional florist.

* * *

_Her brothers entered the class soon after that to check on her. When they did, the boys were still chanting their newly-made jingle. Rex pushed the sliding door as hard as he could, gathering everyone's attention. The class fell silent, except for Raelyn who was still sobbing while looking at her brothers. Nate was the first to walk in and hugged his little sister. "Let's get you cleaned up. Mom put some wet wipes in your bag, right?"_

_She wiped her tears and nodded, still sobbing. She followed Nate._

_"Who started that song?!" Rex shouted._

_No one dared to answer, except Ana. "It's Kyle."_

_"Which one is Kyle?" Rex asked._

_Ana casually pointed at him. "He stole our friend's lunch box and when Raelyn called him out on it, he started mocking her!"_

_"Oh, is that it?"_

_Rex walked slowly towards Kyle. The other boys stepped back in fear; Kyle might be the biggest in the class, but he was nothing compared to a boy five years his senior. Rex grabbed Kyle's collar and lifted him from the ground. "Lesson for the day: don't mess with my baby sister."_

_Everyone in the class watched as Kyle pissed in his pants. To say that it was a mess would be an understatement. Their parents were called to the school. Rex was suspended from school for a week and barred from visiting lower grade classes._

_Echo Town was a little town, so it was hard to keep the word from spreading. It was the moment when Raelyn decided to teach herself to escape within and to practice restraint._

* * *

After a brief visit to the florist, Raelyn walked towards the residential area. She was still divided between confronting Klaus on his words, or playing it safe. She has not come up with a decision when she knocked on the door.

Iris opened the door for her. "My, Raelyn, you came at the perfect time!" she said, hugging her warmly. "Klaus has just settled down! Come on in!"

It seemed that Iris noticed her slight hesitance. Iris stepped outside with her and closed the door behind her. "Is there something wrong?" she asked gently.

"I… I'm not sure how to face Mr. Klaus."

"Honesty is always the best policy. Not always the easiest, but the most rewarding in long-term."

"Do you think… he will hate me?"

"Oh my goodness, Raelyn, that couldn't be further from the truth!" Iris exclaimed. "Listen, if he's being mean to you, just tell me. I'll knock some sense into his head, okay?"

Iris opened the door again, and this time she gave a slight push to Raelyn. The pinkette entered the house and she saw Iris winked at her with a mischievous smile before closing the door again.

Raelyn took a deep breath and walked towards Klaus' room. He was tidying up his wardrobe. When he noticed her presence, he turned around and greeted her with a smile. "It's good to see you," he said, as calm as usual.

Raelyn nervously gave him the bouquet. "I asked the florist to make it… I hope you like it…"

"This is beautiful. Thank you, I'll look for a vase."

Klaus took the arrangement from her hand and was about to walk towards the other room. Raelyn took another deep breath and said, loud and clear. "Wait, hear me out for a bit."

"Hm?"

"I don't know if you remember it, but you told me that you loved me. I don't know whether it was me hallucinating, or dreaming…" Raelyn paused momentarily. "I… I don't know whether I heard you right, but I'll tell you what I know. I am not as pretty or mature as Miss Iris, I am not as smart as Mistel or Angela or Licorice, I am not as good in cooking as Raeger or Fritz—I cannot be as fashionable as Dr. Marian, as cheerful and friendly as Lillie or Agate, as rich and confident as Elise… I… I have many flaws and all. I am shy and often nervous around people I don't know well—and some people I know well, too… but… but…"

She looked at Klaus, who was still standing at where he was with his eyes on her. She clenched her hands, _there was no going back_, she told herself when she took another deep breath and articulated each word as best and loud as she could while the same time closing her eyes out of embarrassment: "I love you the most in this town!"

Raelyn opened her eyes slightly. Klaus was still there, his eyes widened slightly and his mouth agape. "Last year, you told me that it was easy to mistake a simple admiration for love. Maybe you're right, but I know now for sure that it's not the case with what I feel towards you. I… I cannot be your little sister, _I_ _don't want to be your little sister! _I… I…"

Before she knew it, she started sobbing. Raelyn turned around; now she felt like digging a hole and spent the rest of her life there. Before she could do so, however, she was being pulled back into an embrace. Klaus' scent, this time slightly mixed with the scent of the Clinic, was so close from her nose while the warmth from his body began to spread, starting from her back to the rest of her body. Raelyn was stunned in disbelief when she looked down and saw his arms wrapping around her.

"At times, I am impressed how you fail to realize how precious and lovable you are, by just being you…. you heard it right, I do love you, and I'm willing to bet my fortune that I love you first."

"W-what?"

"Initially, I did intend to care for you as a replacement for the little sister I lost. That… didn't last long. I soon realize that you could not be a replacement of my little sister. You are so much more than that. I was conflicted as to whether to let you know about my feelings. My past is not something I am proud of, and looking at you… you deserve so much more than a broken, pathetic old man like me. A part of me fear that I would lose you the way I lost others that I loved, so I decided that it was better to keep my distance away from you." Klaus tightened his grip around her. "My worst fear came true when Craig went to town. I tried to divert his attention from you, but I failed… you knew what happened."

"You saved me from him."

"With a stroke of luck," Klaus noted bitterly. "In any case, after all that happened, here you stand before me, yelling at the top of your lungs that you loved me… do you know just how much power you have over me?"

Raelyn shook her head. Klaus let her go and she turned around to face him. Now she noticed that Klaus was blushing, albeit only slightly. Her heart raced when she thought how she had caused such reaction from the usually calm gentleman.

"Now, Raelyn Forrester, someone like you can have her pick from any bachelor in this town… even Raeger, I bet. Would you really choose me over the rest of them?"

She nodded without losing a beat. "I'm not giving you away to any other woman, too! I'll prove to you that I love you better!"

Klaus chuckled. "There's no need to do that. I don't have eyes for any other."

Raelyn blinked a few times in disbelief. "Does this mean…?"

"I haven't had time to go and pick up a ring for you… shall we go to the neighboring town to do that sometime later? I know a nice jewelry store there."

This time, it was Raelyn's turn to be dumbfounded. Her tears melted out of happiness and she nodded excitedly.

Klaus gave a cheeky, half-grin. Different from his usual, gentlemanly smile, this grin of his had more boyish charm to it. Raelyn knew she could get used to seeing this side of him. "Now that we're officially together, what do you think of totally dropping the formalities?"

"Huh?"

"I think it's time for you to stop calling me 'Mr. Klaus' and just 'Klaus', don't you think?"

"Eeeeeeh?"

"Come on, try it out."

Raelyn looked at him, her cheeks puffed. "Now, being cute is one thing, but I'm asking another…"

"…Klaus."

She almost couldn't believe her eyes. The moment she called him only by his name, he stopped talking and just stood there, blushing furiously. "I… can get used to this, I suppose."

Yes, she might get used to this, too… although it would take some time.

* * *

The three people that had been pressing their ears against the outer wall of Klaus' house—ignoring the curious stares of the passersby—had a small, but careful celebration when they heard Raelyn's full-blown confession. "'Atta girl! I knew she could do it!" Raeger said.

"I never knew Raelyn has so much passion in her! This is beautiful!" Marian exclaimed.

They quickly went back to their position, carefully trying to hear Klaus' answer. When they managed to figure out what happened, they had another round of celebration. Iris, Marian, and Raeger had a group high-five right in the middle of the residential area. "That old wolf owes us big time!" Marian said.

"He sure does," Iris agreed. "My, my, I never thought this day would come."

"No more brother-sister excuses for them at last," Raeger quipped. "That's getting old and lame."

Marian and Iris giggled at the comment.

"This sure is worth it."

* * *

_Finally, after 35 chapters (and two years in storyline), Klaus and Raelyn took that bold step to brave a new world together!_

_Doesn't mean their story is over here, though... in fact, this is just another beginning._

_Stay tuned for the next update!_

_Thanks for reading, please drop in a review and tell me what you think of it!_

_A/N: This chapter is something that I want to write ever since the conception of this story. Not quite what I have in the beginning, but I'm satisfied with how it turns out._

_As most, if not all, of you know, Raelyn is Reine's daughter. For those of you who do not know Reine, she is my first ever OC, set for the realm of HM: ANB. Reine Kreiss (now Forrester) has appeared in many of my stories, and in all of them, she is generally portrayed as almost everything that Raelyn does not seem to be initially: bold, assertive, headstrong, impulsive, rather sarcastic (imo) - almost a classic tough chick. I'm not saying that a child will always have similar personalities with his/her mother, but the kind of day and night difference like we have between these two is also a bit... rare. Especially considering that Raelyn's dad, our beloved tsundere animal trader for ANB, is not exactly shy himself... or maybe he is (as how I write him in some of my stories), but he is definitely not timid. Plus, if I were to deny Raelyn of all traits that resemble her mother, she is in the danger of being a Mary Sue or simply one-dimensional._

_My friend also made a good point about how it does not really make sense for Raelyn to be very timid when she has two elder brothers. No matter how protective they are to her, in one way or another, there must have been a dose of rough play between these three. I don't have a brother, but my aunt has three kids with the same order, two boys and one girl with a considerable age gap between the boys and the girl. Our families are quite close, and I'm about the same age with the middle child, so I get to see how the three of them grew up, especially the girl. From that observation, I tried to write realistically about the three siblings in the opportunities that I have... or at least sensibly._

_With all this factored in, I have to admit that writing Raelyn is not that easy for me. Even as the person who creates her concept, I have a hard time understanding her train of thoughts sometimes. But, as the story goes, together with you guys, I get to know her better and better and writing about her gets easier, especially as we delve further into more layers of her personalities: her occasional impulsiveness (as noted by Candied Snowflakes and Raeger in-story), the danger of her exploding in anger (like how she slapped Ibuki when she was fed up), and now the major factor of how she became seemingly timid and shy._

_Personally, I think Raelyn's confession is very much in her character: how she went for the dive after a considerable hint and encouragement that the outcome will be positive, how she started by laying down her insecurities (and admitting them), but ends on the high note (and loud voice, as Klaus noted) that for all her flaws, the feelings that she has for Klaus will be her X-factor. Raelyn is definitely not Reine (who probably will chew Klaus on when he implied that she got her own feelings wrong way back in the first year of Winter) or Annie (in the stories that I read, Annie is almost always portrayed as gregarious, outgoing, confident with some twists)._

_On another note, I think the title has aptly marked the transition of their relationship :p_

_I'd love to know what you think about this! ^^_


	36. He Says: My Girlfriend Is Cute

_Hey everyone, I'm back with another chapter! Thank you for the encouraging reviews!_

_StarGirl06: thank you! I'm waiting to read your stories :)_

_fantasyanimegirl283: yes, I suppose both of them are holding certain insecurities. Glad that at least they put those on the table hahaha_

_Sairofe: What I meant is that, with the amount of possible rough play between the siblings, it is reasonable to except for a certain degree of toughness on Raelyn's part, but I'm sure you know much better than me thanks to first-hand experience :) with regards to traits similarities, yes I agree with you! I'm just trying to find that middle ground between Raelyn and her parents so she thinks that 'hey I'm their daughter'. Your English is great, in fact I didn't notice you're not a native until you said it yourself! Maybe you might want to look at my NeilxReine's story when you have the chance? My personal favorite would be Dragon's Tears. It's super long but I think it's worth it (I hope it is, lol) :) If you want something lighter, I'll recommend the 'Colours' series (it's actually my debut to this site). You can check them out in my profile!_

* * *

Klaus stood by the Trade Depot together with Yang. The traders had just set up their stalls. He gently caressed his stallion; Yang seemed happy and content that morning. That Saturday would be his first date with Raelyn, riding to the neighboring town to find a ring for her.

_A date… with Raelyn, huh?_

Truth to be told, he had never thought that day would come. But, he knew that it was real when he saw Raelyn riding Yin into the Trade Depot, and when their eyes met, she smiled at him.

"Have you been waiting long?"

"Not quite so," Klaus replied, pleased when he realized that she was wearing the perfume he had given her back then. "Shall we be going?"

She nodded excitedly.

Klaus mounted his stallion and they began to ride side by side. It did not take long for Klaus to realize that Raelyn has been watching him. "What's the matter, Raelyn? Is there something on my face?"

"No… you just look so cool on horse."

Klaus couldn't help but chuckle. "Really? Thank you. I'm glad you find me attractive even at my age."

"It's just like what Dr. Marian said, some things better as they age. I suppose you fall into that category, although I must say I'm kinda curious to see you when you're younger."

"I'm sure Iris would be more than happy to entertain that request of yours. I'm sure they have some albums."

Raelyn grinned cheekily. "Does Mistel sell it as one of his… antiques?"

Klaus chuckled. "I wonder if he does…"

"But then, they would not have pictures of you when you're… you know, being the Alpha and all?"

"I don't think anyone has a picture of me during those years… which is a good thing."

"I bet you looked so cool and fierce to be called the Alpha by the others!"

Klaus took a moment to digest what she had just said. This girl never ceased to amaze him. Even after a glimpse of the darkness of his past, and how cruel it could be, she had simply accepted it as a part of him and talked about it so easily as if there was nothing wrong with it. Then again, perhaps she did see it as nothing wrong, as unbelievable as it was. Maybe he should start doing that, too.

"You know, I might not have a picture of me in those years… but I have something else that might fulfill your request."

"Oh, really? What is it?"

"My tattoos, as well as some of my scars. If it interests you, I can tell you the story of each scar."

As he thought, she blushed at his offer. "B-but… that means you need to…"

"Disrobe myself, certainly."

"T-that's… a bit moving too fast, isn't it?"

"Oh? Haven't you seen me in such a state before?"

Her face was now beet red and she gripped her reins so tightly. "You were covered in bandages! That doesn't count!"

Klaus laughed. "Don't close your eyes on the road, Raelyn… I apologize, but teasing you might be my new hobby from now on. You are just too adorable."

"This… this is unfair," she said while pouting her cheeks. "So you're just teasing me this whole time."

"Oh? You were hoping that I am serious?"

"T-that's… that's not what I meant!"

He couldn't hold back his laughter anymore. _My girlfriend is cute_, he told himself.

* * *

The jewelry shop was located near the center of the town. An amicable-looking young woman greeted them when they entered. "Welcome!"

The two of them immediately went for the ring section. There were quite a number of rings available, mounted with stones of various colors and designs. Truth to be told, Klaus had no idea what would be Raelyn's taste in fashion, let it be clothes or jewelry. She was always dressed in her farming dresses, complete with apron, with the exception of town celebrations. Even then, most of the time she was just yielding to Iris' dressing her up. Therefore, letting her choose her own ring would be much more preferable than him buying something that did not suit her taste or, even worse, the size of her finger.

While watching Raelyn choosing her ring, Klaus noticed that she often glanced sideways. He tried to follow her line of sight and then realized that she kept looking at the section for couple rings. He smiled. "Raelyn, should we get a couple ring?"

"Ah! You… you don't mind?"

"I do not. In fact, I would be pleased, too."

They moved their seats to the display for the couple rings. After a few rounds of choosing and eliminating, they were down with two options. One was a similar pair of rings. The larger one had a wider band with a small deep yellow round sapphire planted at the middle, surrounded by smaller diamonds. The smaller one had much thinner band, and a slightly larger sapphire cut into a rounded-end rectangle, surrounded by diamonds, too. One look, and it was clear that the two rings were a pair.

The other was also not identical to one another, also not really similar to one another. In fact, at first glance, they looked very different from one another. The larger one was decorated with a line of tiny diamonds, and two slightly larger ones at the middle, but with a noticeable hollow pattern at the middle, while the smaller one contained only one white medium-sized diamond, mounted at the middle; the band on the larger one was wide and rather thick, as to be expected for rings meant for males, while the band on the smaller ring was thinner, but stylized in an artful arrangement resembling a braid. Klaus taught that it was an interesting pair of rings, and Raelyn kept looking at it, too.

The shopkeeper also caught up with their interest. "This is not your usual couple rings," she said, while taking the two rings from their stand. She put the smaller rings into the larger rings and revealed that when arranged that way, smaller ring fit exactly into the hollow pattern of the larger ring, with the single diamond mounted at the smaller ring placed right at the middle of the two diamonds on the larger one.

"They're so beautiful!"

"This line is fittingly called, _Compléter_—to complete."

"Which one would you like, Raelyn?" he asked.

Raelyn pursed her lips together in deep thought. She then took both pairs, glanced at the tag attached to each, and furrowed her brows together and pursed her lips even more tightly. She then pointed at the first pair. "I'm fine with this."

"Hm? I thought you were interested in the second one?"

"Well, yeah… but the price…"

"_Compléter_ is a new line, and it gained positive feedback from our customers, too…" the shopkeeper tried to explain almost immediately. "This is the last style. It would be unique."

Klaus took both pairs and looked at the tags for each like Raelyn did earlier. The price different was indeed rather not negligible, but nothing that he could not afford. He put both pairs back in front of her.

"Putting the price aside, which one do you like better?"

"That one," Raelyn replied while pointing at the second pair. "There aren't too many stones on it, too… it wouldn't be too conspicuous while I'm working. But, I didn't expect the price to be…"

"I like that one, too," Klaus told her. "Why don't we get them?"

"But…"

"If the price is your only concern, rest assured that I have it settled." Klaus patted her head affectionately. "Give me this chance to pamper you."

"P-pamper?"

"Yes, what man would not want to pamper his lady?"

She blushed slightly and finally nodded.

* * *

They went back to Oak Tree Town after the resizing was done. They dismounted after they passed the town gate and led their respective horses by their reins. "Klaus…"

"Yes?"

"Most of the time… I'll wear the ring as a necklace. That way, I wouldn't be too worried of it getting lost or dirty while I'm working."

"Like last time, correct?"

She nodded rather grimly.

Curious at her sudden sullenness, he asked: "Is there… something else you want to tell me?"

She shook her head. "I thought I should just let you know. I don't really want to repeat mistakes."

Klaus studied her carefully. He put his hand on her head gently. "Thank you, I'll keep that in mind, although I would like to think that I am a very different man from Ibuki."

"You are… but I'm not taking my chances."

"That being said, I would really be pleased if you wear the ring on your finger from time to time, for example during festivals."

This time she looked at him and slightly cocked her head to the side. Klaus had noticed that she had such tendency when she was confused. He cleared his throat. "It's a good way to signal to other men that you're taken. Please don't blame me for being rather possessive of you."

Much to his surprise, she chuckled. "Noted. I'll do that."

"Thank you."

"Oh! I just remember I need to buy some animal treats!"

"Let me accompany you, then."

They were just about to head to the Cabin Country's stall when Klaus heard someone yelled: "Get away from her, you jerk!"

He turned around and saw someone directed a punch at him. Klaus easily dodged that strike to the side, but his assaulter did not give up that easily. _Who is he? _Klaus thought. His voice was definitely different from Ibuki's, and while Klaus could see a glimpse of blond hair, it was of a different shade.

Klaus did not have the luxury of time to guess whom he was; when he realized that the stranger was sending a punch at him, Klaus immediately deflected the blow to the side. His attacker was thrown off-balance due to that, but he regained it soon after by doing a skillful pirouette. He was about to try another shot at attacking him when Raelyn stepped between them, yet out of his reach. "Stop!" she said loudly as she grabbed the stranger's arm and threw him to the ground with a controlled force by keeping her hold on him.

_What?! Since when she… no, that level of skill is not gained overnight._

For a moment, Klaus recalled the night Craig had attacked her. It seemed to him now Raelyn's fight was more violent—on her part—than he thought it had been. Putting that matter aside, now Klaus could properly see his attacker, whom Raelyn had released from her hold. He was tall, although still slightly shorter than him, and lean. His messy blond hair barely reached his shoulders, and his clear green eyes had a rather playful glint on them. To his surprise, he could no longer sense the hostility from the other man as he dusted off his sleeve. In fact, that man laughed heartily. "You're not half bad, Lynn! Have you been practicing?"

"The farm keeps me on my heels."

It was then he averted his attention back to him. "Tell me, are you the guy who kept her waiting?! If yes, you—"

"I said, stop it, Rex!"

"You know him?" he finally asked her.

Raelyn sighed long while scratching her head. "Of course I do," she said. "Please meet my brother, Rex. Rex, this is Klaus."

"So, you _are_ that guy!"

When Klaus noticed Rex was about to attack him again, he immediately went on the defensive stance, but turned to face him with crossed arms. "Rex, I swear—knock it off or I'll throw you for real this time!"

"W-wow… you sounded like Mom now."

Under her glare, Rex did not go through with his attack and instead offered his hand for a handshake. "Rexton Forrester, nice to meet you… for now."

* * *

_Why Raelyn's brother is here? What is he going to do?_

_It seems that we need to wait for the next chapter to find out!_

_Thanks for reading!_

_Please rate and review ^^_


	37. She Says: I'm A Damn Adult

_Hello everyone, thanks for the reviews! I suppose, after an arc mostly focused on Klaus' character, this is a swell time to focus on Raelyn's. I thought Rex would be a great instigator to that. In this chapter, more exposition on Rex's character, and his dynamic with Raelyn, will be explored. I hope you guys enjoy this!_

* * *

Raeger couldn't help but to steal a few curious glances at his newest customer: Klaus, Raelyn, and another guy he had never seen before. They took a spot at the far corner of the restaurant, with the two men sitting facing each other and Raelyn between them, creating a pretty awkward triangle. They barely spoke to each other while they were waiting for their order; Klaus stayed at where he was calmly, the stranger folded his arm—his expression was unknown to Raeger since he was facing away from the counter, while Raelyn kept exchanging glances with these two. When he served their order, they simply ate in silence with little regards to one another. It was only until they were only left with their drinks that the conversation started to flow.

"Let's go through this again, you're Klaus?"

"Yes."

"The same guy who made my baby sister cried?"

"Rex!"

"What? He didn't know that he kept you waiting like a fool that Spring?"

"I do," Klaus replied calmly.

Rex's anger became even more obvious. "It's my personal creed not to let any jerk who hurt my sister go away."

"Rex, that thing is almost a year ago…" Raelyn pointed out. "I have settled things over with him… it's super late if you want to—"

"Sure. How would you go about it?" Klaus interjected calmly.

"Klaus!" Raelyn called out in distress. _Why he cannot understand what I'm trying to do?!_ Tired with the hoo-ha, Raelyn rose up and forced Klaus to follow him. They moved to another corner of the restaurant, out of her brother's earshot. "Please don't pick a fight with my brother!"

"I'm just answering his questions honestly, Raelyn."

"You don't know what Rex could do!"

Klaus bent down, closing the distance between the two of them. Raelyn held her breath, she was rather unaccustomed to such closeness, especially with him. Nevertheless, she stood her ground and maintained her eye contact with him. He stopped just short of touching their noses together. "Do you forget who I am?"

For a moment, Raelyn remembered whatever she happened to see during Klaus' fight with Craig, and there was no way she could forget the state she found him afterwards. Then, she recalled how Rex literally made Kyle pissed in his pants. That was not the last time Rex did that to anybody whom he thought to be a threat to her. She knew he meant well, and she really did appreciate the thought, but at times she had hoped that Rex would trust that she could watch her own back.

"I don't like seeing you fight, especially with Rex. Things are going to get messy…."

Klaus put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a light squeeze. "Relax, I have no intention to do so either. Now, why don't we go back to your brother? It is very rude to keep him waiting."

With that he led her back to their table, where Rex had been nursing his wine. Rex chuckled when they saw them taking their seats. "I bet you were trying to stop him, Lynn… but the way I see it, this man knows better."

"I understand where you're coming from," Klaus agreed. "But let's not distress her. I'm sure none of us want to upset her."

"Sure. How do you want to do it?"

"I'll decide," Raelyn declared before anybody could speak. If she could not prevent it, at least she could very well try that it would be the least harmful way possible. "I'll let you guys know what, when and how later."

Thankfully, none of the guys had any objection.

* * *

They parted ways at the town entrance, with Rex following Raelyn home. The two siblings walked side by side with Yin carrying Rex's luggage.

"What are you doing suddenly showing up here?" Raelyn finally asked.

He grinned. "Visiting my baby sister, of course!"

"You could have told me beforehand or something."

"I wanted to give you a surprise, although I suppose I'm the one getting a surprise in the end—are you really dating him? The guy who made you wait? Listen, sis, a guy who really wants you doesn't make you wait for nothing!"

"And he didn't," she quipped. "We are going out, Rex. For real."

"Have you told our family about it?"

"I plan to do it in my next letter," she said. "To you too, of course."

When they arrived at the farm, Rex affectionately messed with her hair. "Look at you, living all alone in this town with a farm so far away in the mountain!"

"It's not that far, really…" she muttered. "It's a good escape, I suppose."

He nodded. "It suits you, Lynn."

Raelyn watched as her dogs began to shepherd her animals back to their respective shelters. At this point, her farm had managed to provide a steady stream of income from its various products. She also had enough to put aside some amount for safekeeping. Realizing that, she couldn't help but to smile. "I guess it does…"

* * *

That night, after helping Rex to settle down in her house, Raelyn glanced at the calendar next to her bed. Her calendar also acted as her planner, with a lot of markings due to her planning, which became even more crucial as she expanded her farm. Looking at it, she just knew what she had to do with these two men.

The next morning, Raelyn called for Klaus. When he arrived, she provided two baskets and sickles in front of them.

"What is this?"

"Your competition," Raelyn grinned with pride and mischief. "It just so happens that I'm expecting huge harvest today, let's see… my oranges, wheats, soybeans, rice, lotus root, and wasabi. I could really use some help with these—" she put on her best pleading look. "You wouldn't have the heart to see me carry everything around, right?"

The two men glanced at each other, clearly rather uncomfortable with what Raelyn had proposed but at the same time did not really have the heart to refuse her. "Look, sis, where's the 'competition' part in it? I'm still a farmer's son, and I bet this fancy-looking sugar daddy of yours has never done any farm work in his—"

"One, Klaus is _not_ my sugar daddy. Two, I believe in your sportsmanship that you'll teach him how to handle my crops. Three, the one that destroys the least of my crops can be the winner," she turned to Klaus. "You might want to change into something more comfortable."

"I'll lend you my clothes," Rex chimed in. "It would be too troublesome to wait for you to change and whatnot."

"Sure, thank you."

Raelyn smiled. "Great! You guys can go to the paddy and grain fields, I'll handle the oranges! I hope you guys can make it for lunch!"

* * *

After putting aside some for her own use and processing some into fruit wines, Raelyn loaded the rest of the oranges into her wagon. She looked at the sky, lunchtime would be in two more hours.

_Maybe I should start cooking soon_, she thought.

It was then a familiar figure walking up to her farm. She smiled and waved. "Raelyn! You're looking well!"

"Miss Iris!"

Iris walked over to her with an exaggerated pout. "What have I been telling you? Klaus' girlfriend _cannot_ call me 'Miss Iris'! It's 'Iris', understood?"

Raelyn laughed nervously. "It's a habit… sometimes I still call Klaus 'Mr. Klaus', too."

The novelist smiled. "Speaking of him, he told me that your brother is in town?"

Raelyn nodded.

"Something tells me that their first impression of each other is something that could have been better."

"Yeah," she replied. "Rex is a bit hot-blooded… too hot-blooded at times."

Iris smiled sympathetically. "Well… so where are these hot-blooded brothers of ours?"

"Down in the paddy and grain fields, you don't pass by them?"

"Must have missed them. I wasn't looking around."

"I told them to do some harvesting for me. Hopefully that gives them the opportunity to get to know each other better than from some… fistfights."

"That's a pretty clever idea, actually."

"I'm about to cook lunch, I think you should join us!"

"That sounds good, I'll help you prepare."

* * *

The lunch was finished just in time with the Klaus and Rex's arrival. Raelyn was relieved to see that they seemed to be getting along better than this morning. "Welcome back!" she greeted with a huge smile. "Lunch is ready, just put them down near the wagon and come on in!"

When Rex entered Raelyn's house, he saw a stranger, a beautiful stranger. She had a lithe figure, wrapped in purple dress. Her pale blond hair cascaded softly on her shoulder and her skin was as fair as snow. Her eyes were gray with a hint of violet in it, and her small lips were coated in a light shade of peach lipstick.

"You are…"

She smiled. "You must be Raelyn's brother. I'm Iris."

She offered her hand, but he decided not to shake it because his hand was smeared with dirt due to the harvesting. She seemed not to take offense to it, thankfully.

Rex felt a slight pull. "That's my sister you've been ogling at," Klaus told him in his ear.

"Heee, sister, eh?" Raelyn chimed in with a mock annoyance. "So now you're claiming she's your sister?"

"In my defense, you never actually asked me what is my relationship with her. From what I heard, you simply assumed that she was my girlfriend and Iris rightly replied that she was not."

Raelyn puffed her cheeks, but she dismissed the matter quickly.

"Wait, how can you not know they're siblings?"

Iris and Klaus looked at each other; in the end, it was Klaus who spoke. "We're not related by blood. Her parents adopted me when we were children."

The four of them sat down around the dining table and began eating. Raelyn carefully watched her brother and Klaus, who were sitting side by side. They began to exchange stories of their lives, which made her glad; asking them to harvest her crops was really killing two birds with one stone.

"So, Klaus… for someone your age, you have pretty good moves."

"Pardon?"

"You've been exercising a lot?"

Raelyn held her breath. She glanced surreptitiously at Klaus, but Klaus didn't seem to share her worry. He replied calmly. "I suppose you could say so. Dating a much younger woman makes you feel younger, too."

* * *

"Klaus seemed to be okay," Rex told her that evening. "Much better than I expected, honestly."

"He is," Raelyn agreed. "But something tells me you are not really satisfied yet."

Rex stared at her sister sharply. His eyes reminded her of their mother; she held her breath. "You oughta know better, sis… there's nothing such as an unblemished record. He doesn't strike me as the type who has a smooth life."

Raelyn gritted her teeth. "So what if he doesn't? I don't care and neither should you."

"Wrong," Rex replied immediately. "The fact that you don't care gives me all the more reason to care. You're my sister and I swear to Harvest Goddess, if he—"

"Stop treating me like a kid!" Raelyn yelled. "Look at this, I've made my own life! I'm a damn adult!"

"No kid needs to yell that she isn't one." Rex snickered, "Are you dating him to feel more mature about yourself? You're pathetic, Lynn."

"You—"

Raelyn stopped short of continuing her sentence. As much as she hated it, Rex had a point. If she really had matured, people should have seen in on their own. She thought she had, but maybe she was overestimating herself.

And then there was that question:

_Are you dating him to feel more mature about yourself?_

* * *

_Did Rex just strike a nerve with Raelyn?_

_What do you think?_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review!_

_A/N: Hey guys, what do you think of Rex? I'm curious as to your opinions on him :)_


	38. He Says: Consider It Done

_Hey everyone, this chapter would be a sort-of Rex special. I also put something else on the table... hope you like it!_

* * *

After Rex taught Klaus the basics of using a sickle, and then divided their work, the two men get down to work immediately. "Why did you stood my sister up?"

"I have a lot of considerations on my part," Klaus answered calmly. "There is our age gap, for one… and then, there are other things."

"Other things… like what?"

"It's not for you to know."

"Fine, but does my sister know?"

"She does," he replied. "In fact, it was her who eventually convinced me that this relationship was worth attempting."

Rex chuckled. "Now, the pieces are starting to fall together."

"Pardon?"

"Raelyn is not really a people person, but when she falls for someone, she falls so hard. When I learned that someone broke her heart, I was so upset myself. If my work in the Capital didn't hold me back the way they are, I've gone here much earlier. I expected some douchebag who wanted to take advantage of her or something, but you didn't strike me as that type. In fact, you seemed to be an over-thinker," he laughed. "In a way, you remind me of my old man. I suppose that's partly a reason why she falls for you."

* * *

The next day, armed with a rough map drawn by Raelyn, Rex decided to take a walk in the town. While the outer appearance of the Oak Tree Town was vastly different from his hometown, there was something in this town that reminded him of it. Was it the warmth of the townsfolk—the way they treated him as if he was a part of them? Was it the fact that farming was an integral piece of this town, too? Whatever it was, he couldn't be sure, but it surely made him miss home more than ever.

The blond man stopped in front of a building with the sign "Antique Shop" written nearby. Raelyn had told him that this was where Iris lived. His conversation with Klaus the day before had filled him with more questions than answers; it alleviated some of his concerns but raised a few more. If Klaus was a no-go for an answer, Rex figured that Iris would be the next best choice. Besides, he couldn't deny that she was very alluring herself.

The bell dinged when he pushed the door open. "Welcome to the Antique Shop," a voice, but not Iris', greeted. Rex looked around and found a young man, maybe even younger than Raelyn, stood behind the counter.

"I believe I have never seen you around," he said with a polite smile. "Would you like a tour of our collection?"

"Thanks, but I'm looking for Iris. Is she here?"

The young man took a moment to study him. "She is. Just take those stairs."

Rex climbed to the second floor. Just like the first floor, the private living quarter was floored in dark wood. However, if the shop was painted in light, pastel colors, the second floor was decorated in dark purple wallpaper. It was clear to him that the resident of this estate favored the color purple; and something about this house gave off a very classy feel to it. Dismissing his thoughts on the estate, he looked around for his main purpose of the visit; he found her sitting in front of the desk at the corner of the room, busy with the papers in front of her. Rex was unsure on whether he should greet her, but she noticed him first: "Oh, Rex. I'm sorry, but I'm a bit occupied right now. Could I ask you to wait for a few minutes?"

"Uh, sure."

"Just take a seat on the sofa over there."

Iris wrapped up her work in a few minutes and followed him to the sofa, sitting across him. "Would you like some tea?"

"Tea sounds great."

"Any preference… red, black, green? Your sister is partial to green teas."

He chuckled. "She does, but I'm good with anything you offer."

Iris smiled and excused herself for some moments before coming back with two cups, a teapot, and a small jar of biscuits. After the tea was served, Iris started their conversation, "I'm sorry to make you wait for so long."

"It's fine," he assured her. "But what were you doing?"

"Writing my new story," she replied with a smile.

"You're a novelist?"

She nodded. "Are you familiar with I. Delacroix?"

"Sounds familiar, yeah…" he noticed her meaningful gaze and smile. "…wait, you're that person?!"

"You catch on fast," she replied with satisfaction.

"Wow… never expected to see a real-life novelist."

She chuckled. "You make it sounds like I came from a fairytale land."

"In a way or another, you are. You weave one."

She nodded in agreement. "So, what's the story is about this time? I'm all for spoilers."

"My, I don't think it is something that would suit your taste… it's about an unrequited love—or at least at this point of time, it seems that way…" Iris glanced poignantly at the table between them. "Say, have you ever been in love?"

That escalated pretty quickly, he thought. He looked at her, right in her eyes. "Love? Not yet, but who knows?"

"Not yet? So you have your eyes on someone?"

Rex simply maintained his eyes on her, studying her features even more closely; her milky skin and heart-shaped face that was covered in light makeup. He was not lying when he said she was like she had come from a fairytale land; it was so easy to imagine her to be in one… as the princess.

Iris caught on his answer and held her breath. "My, thank you for flattering me."

"You read me wrong… I'm not one to flatter people lightly."

His sentence marked a period of silence between the two of them—heavy, but not necessarily awkward. It would be more accurate to say that they were studying and evaluating each other. Finally, Iris decided to break the silence: "Someone like you is not the type to come here just to flirt. You mean business—how can I help?"

Rex chuckled. "Right, thanks for reminding me… I'm sure you can guess the gist of my initial business here."

Iris nodded. "You want intel on Klaus."

He smirked. "I guess you can be pretty biased, since you clearly are close to him. I also heard that you played a part—a huge part—in bringing those two together. I figured you have your reasons. That, I'm interested to hear."

Iris crossed her arms before her and leaned back. "So far, what is your personal opinion on him?"

"Overall? He's okay. It's the details I'm worried about. Someone looking as good as him but unattached for so long? Something must be wrong."

"I wouldn't use the word 'wrong'," Iris corrected him calmly. "Klaus had had a hard life before coming here. He practically gave up the idea of settling down and building a family, because he had lost so many of his own."

_He did mention that he was adopted…_

"Raelyn… how should I put it? Her innocence and kindness revived that hope in him, but with that… came fear. Fear that she might slip away between his fingers, that he couldn't keep her safe. That's why he pushed her away at first… and at first, it seemed that she went along with it."

"Did this happen last year?"

Iris nodded. "Your sister's departure broke his heart. I can tell he was conflicted between pursuing her or defending what he thought to be better for her. Foolish thoughts, I often told him."

Rex took a moment to truly digest what she had revealed to him. Now, there was no doubt that Klaus was not someone who had everything on a silver platter; if anything, it seemed that the silver platter he seemed to have now was one he forged for himself. It was a story familiar to his knowledge—was this why Raelyn chose him?

"…and you think my sister is good for him? Their age difference and… experience must make her pretty immature for him."

"If anything, I think they are good for each other because they learn from one another," Iris pointed out. "Is that not a mark of a good relationship?"

"You really ship them together, don't you?"

Iris laughed merrily. "You don't know just how many people ship them."

* * *

Raelyn saw him off together with Klaus and—much to his surprise—Iris. Raelyn hugged him tightly. "Tell everyone back home I miss them," she said.

He chuckled. "You sure you wanna say that? Dad might come flying if he knows what's going on here," he glanced at Klaus who, even if he was nervous inside, maintained a calm visage.

Raelyn pouted. "Don't you dare say I have a sugar daddy."

This time, he laughed slightly harder. "You read my mind, sis."

"Rex!"

"I'm kidding, I'm kidding," he messed her hair affectionately before turning to Klaus. "You better take care of my baby sister right here."

"Consider it done," the raven-haired man replied. "It was a pleasure to meet you."

"Heh. You're also interesting to get to know about."

They shook hands, and Rex turned towards Iris. "So, to what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Are you sure you are not a flatterer?"

He smirked. "If you keep being flattered by my words, is that not a start of a good relationship?"

He was amused when he saw Iris holding her breath. To think that someone as mature as Iris could be rattled by the likes of his did something good to his pride. He turned around and walked towards the coach.

"Iris,"

"Yes?"

"Yesterday, I had two matters at hand. I settled both… with interesting results."

As the carriage rode away from view, Klaus and Raelyn turned to Iris. "What was he saying?" Klaus asked.

"He was just asking me about the town, nothing in particular."

Raelyn cocked her head to the side. "But he already had a map I drew for him."

"Oh, really?" Iris smiled the best she could manage. "I'm not aware of such a map."

Raelyn shrugged. "Maybe he lost it," she concluded. "I'm going to do my shipment for a bit, you guys don't have to wait for me."

With that, she left.

Iris caught Klaus' eyes, and when he gave a slanted half-smirk, she was filled with mixed feelings. On one hand, she missed that side of his, but on the other hand, she still remembered that every time he had that smirk on his face, it never meant good for her.

"I'm not into younger man," she quipped.

"What a hypocrite. A two-year difference is nowhere near fifteen you've been advocating for."

* * *

_Now the tables are turned on Iris!_

_Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review ^^_


	39. She Says: You Have Me Now

_Hello everyone, I hope I don't make you guys wait for too long! Thank you for your continuous support: the fave, follow and reviews; I hope you guys would keep them coming ^^_

_StarGirl06: Yep, there's that bit, of course... but Rex is also worried about the age gap between the two of them (as he had explained to Iris in the previous chapter). He might be on the 'wild' and 'impulsive' end of the spectrum, but I believe his heart is in the right place. ^^_

_Without further ado, enjoy!_

* * *

The second day of Spring was a fairly good one. Most of the snow had melted, but there was still enough reminiscent of the past winter, too. It was against this weather that Klaus and Raelyn had a picnic on a plain, fifteen-minute ride from the town. After having some snacks and small talks, both of them decided to just lay down on the mat, bathing in the gentle sun.

"Winter is beautiful, but I like spring better. I think spring is my favorite season."

"It suits you," Klaus commented.

Raelyn rolled her body to lie on her stomach and glanced at Klaus. "What do you mean?"

"You're just like Spring—not just because of your hair… you're young, full of promise and life. You're a blissful spring."

"Is that a sappy way to tell me that I'm a kid?"

Klaus laughed. "It's not necessarily a bad thing, now, is it?" he asked. "How's your brother?"

"Rex? He is back at our hometown—apparently, he had enough of doing acrobats in the Capital," Raelyn replied. "He's helping out with our family's farm."

"Ah, you did mention that you came from a farmer's family."

She nodded. "My mom is the one. My dad is an animal trader—as you can guess, she was one of his regular customers."

"You have another brother, don't you?"

"Mm-hm, Nate. He's older than Rex by ten minutes. But, besides their looks, they are so different from each other. You don't have to worry Nate suddenly springing on you the way Rex did. He'll just glare at you."

Klaus chuckled. "I guess I can manage that… speaking of which—" he rolled on his side to face her and propping his head against his hand. "I saw how you… handled Rex, so to speak. You're quite good with hand-to-hand combat."

"Growing up with two brothers equip you with some brawling techniques."

"I think I have enough experience to differentiate crass brawling and proper techniques, love."

Raelyn blushed when she heard it. "You… you just called me 'love'."

"It's the truth. Do you not like it?"

She bit her lower lip and averted her gaze from him. "No, I don't dislike it. Just… maybe not when there are lots of people around."

Klaus stretched his free arm and caressed her cheek lightly. "Sure," he agreed. "Maybe overwhelming you in public and letting them to see this kind of expression of yours wouldn't benefit me either."

Raelyn watched the gorgeous man in front of her. His gentle gaze, coupled with his smile was easily the most dream-worthy look she had received throughout her living memory. "You know… there are times when I think this is a dream."

"What is?"

"Being with you, like this."

Klaus chuckled. "I can make it even better," he said confidently.

"Really?"

Just as she closed her lips, Klaus leaned forward and kissed her. She almost yelped in surprise, but nothing came out from her mouth since Klaus sealed her lips with his. She eventually decided to just close her eyes and took in his scent—a mixture of mint and musk—and nibbled lightly on his lips. She could feel him smiling against her; he drew back slightly and asked: "See? Isn't this better?"

* * *

"Come to think of it, I have never really told you about my family, have I?" Klaus suddenly asked on their way back to the town.

Raelyn looked at him for a moment. She knew how he lost them, but that's all that she knew, and she was not about to force him to tell something that might bring painful memories back to him. "You don't have to, if it upsets you," she replied.

The dark-haired man smiled ruefully. "It's fine. You've told me yours, it's only fair if I do the same," he said. "My early life was uneventful. My father was a banker, and my mother a homemaker. My father taught me the basics of equestrianism. I was about to have a younger sister when the robbery happened. She would have been slightly older than Iris otherwise…" he trailed off. After a few moments, he picked up on his story again. "Truth to be told, most of the time I had almost forgotten my birth family… I remember their faces and their voices, but I had almost forgotten how it felt to live with a 'family'."

"You have me now," Raelyn finally spoke up. "I don't mean to be preposterous… but I want you to know that… I'm here for you—but of course it's not just me!" she added quickly. "There's also Iris, of course, and Mistel and Dr. Marian and Raeger and—"

He laughed. "Yes, moving here is definitely one of the best choices I have ever made."

"So, how did you become a perfumer?"

"I was introduced to a perfumer who was looking for an apprentice."

"By whom?"

Much less answering her, Klaus stopped walking altogether. Raelyn stopped walking too, and immediately felt uncomfortable, should she had not asked that? However, she found out soon after that Klaus was staring into the distance, towards the Trade Depot. She followed his gaze.

_What is he looking at?_

Raelyn scanned the Trade Depot, trying to find something that was out of the ordinary. Since it was almost sunset, and today there were only two stalls in business, there were not a lot of people in that area. People were walking to and fro, lining up, haggling; it was just like any other day in the Trade Depot.

She was about to ask Klaus about it when she finally found the anomaly. It took shape in a figure of a woman, dressed in a rather conservative, dark-colored dress with long sleeves and slightly puffed shoulders, as well as high neck with the ruffles on top. To complete that look, her hands were also gloved. However, it was not the dress that made her anomalous; rather, it was how in the midst of the business going on around her, she was looking straight at them. Her face was obscured by the netting attached to her hat, but Raelyn could somewhat see her auburn hair that was arranged into a tight high bun, as well as her lips that were coated in a bright red lipstick, easily drawing the attention from the rest of her obscured face.

That woman slowly made her way to them. She walked with her fingers intertwined to one another in front of her and chin slightly upward, clearly showing her gentry upbringing. As she gradually came closer, Raelyn could make out the color of her eyes; they were gray, cold as steel, and her gazed were fixated at Klaus.

She stopped walking a few meters away from them. Raelyn was not sure whether she did not notice her presence, or simply ignoring her altogether (although, honestly, how could she not notice? She was literally standing next to Klaus), but she spared no greeting, or even an acknowledging nod to her. Her eyes were directed to Klaus and him only.

"I did not expect to see you here," she said. Her voice was light and airy, with an accent that clearly did not belong to this part of the land.

"Neither do I," Klaus replied. "You are a long way from home."

"So are you," she countered. "Although, I suppose, it is to be expected of someone like you."

Raelyn could feel Klaus tensing up; subconsciously, he squeezed her hand. She could even see him gritting his teeth slightly. Raelyn held her breath as she was seized with a suffocating feeling in her chest. Whoever this woman was, she had a considerable influence on Klaus, and Raelyn did not like it for one bit.

That woman smiled; actually, it was more like a slight tug of the corner of her lips rather than an actual smile—so restrained that describing it as a smile was rather generous on Raelyn's part.

"It's good to see you, Klaus."

Those words, when rolled out from that woman's mouth, seized Raelyn with an unspeakable amount of force. It was suffocating and upsetting, to say the least. Raelyn put her hand on her heart, subconsciously she clenched her fist as if she could contain the pain that way.

_What is this feeling? Why am I feeling this way?_

It was then finally something came out from Klaus' mouth. A word she had never heard him said before—a name:

"Allie…"

* * *

_Another figure from Klaus' past..._

_What is she doing here, and what would happen to them?_

_Find that on the next chapter!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review ^^_


	40. He Says: What Brings You Here

That evening, after dropping Raelyn's off at her farm, Klaus found himself alone in his house, laying down on his bed while staring at the ceiling. With Raelyn's question and—most significantly—Allie's unexpected appearance, he could not help but to recall the time he had spent with the Weatherbys.

_I should've learned my lessons. Shouldn't have concealed my past from Raelyn_, he thought wryly.

To his defense, however, he had an entirely different reason of why he chose to conceal his story about Allie. It was much less about him not being proud of what had happened, but more to two things: he typically didn't kiss and tell, and he saw no relevance of revealing Allie to Raelyn. But, now that the lady was here, he was in a more difficult conflict than he thought.

Conceal, Raelyn might find a way to know the truth; she would trust him less. Reveal, he had no idea on how Raelyn would react. Even back then, Allie had been a very different woman than Raelyn was; Klaus was not sure whether revealing the truth about Allie would be in Raelyn's best interest.

Even after he drifted off to slumber, he was still in a limbo regarding these two women.

* * *

The next day, on Allie's invitation, he met her at Raeger's. His acceptance was less about catching up than trying to figure out why she was in this town. Along the way, he could not stop asking himself—and the Goddess: _Why now, of all times_?

Nevertheless, now there he was, sitting across the woman he loved once. Today, she let her auburn hair down—the way she kept it years and years ago. Age had been kind to her—that, or her beauty was the more persistent one. He had to admit, though, her gray eyes had lost their warmth that he could identify. That lack of warmth chipped away the memory of the girl he used to love, replacing it with the woman sitting across him, clearly less ignorant of life.

As was the custom, she removed her gloves right after their food was served. Klaus, attentive as he was, noticed the lack of wedding band on where it should have been, but he kept mum of his observation.

"What brings you here?" he asked.

She carefully picked her wine glass and rotated it ever slowly in her hand. "A brief change of pace."

He carefully studied her outfit. She wore a dark-colored dress again today, together with a prominent black onyx clasp right below her neck that she also wore yesterday. Back from where they came from, it only meant one thing: "I am sorry for your loss."

She smiled ruefully. "The mourning period was over long ago. It just became a habit."

Klaus nodded understandingly while taking a sip of his own wine. "The mourning period never dictates how long one actually grieves."

"My father would have been proud to see how well you are doing right now."

He held his breath. "Wait, so the one you were mourning for is…"

"My father, yes."

Klaus put his glass down and hung his head low. There was no way he could forget Mr. Weatherby and what he had done to him. After all, he was the one who had brought him to a new chapter of his life, the chapter that was still very much a part of his life right now. After he felt enough of reminiscing, Klaus took a deep breath and faced her again. "I'm sorry I didn't come to pay my respects."

"I'm sure he understands," she comforted him gently.

After a brief, but heavy moment of silence, Klaus tried to divert the topic of their discussion. Much to his chagrin, he could not come up with a better question than: "How is your life?"

He watched as Allie took a moment to ponder upon his question. The woman took another sip of her wine before finally speaking up. "Roughly six months after you left, a man came into my life. A soldier. He was dashing and chivalrous, his tales recounting his battles… young as I was, I became smitten with him before I realized it. I took that leap of faith and married him."

The irony was not lost on him, and Klaus felt he should not pass the opportunity to point that out. "Of course, you would have chosen a very righteous, upright man."

She smirked wryly. "So I thought," she admitted. "But I was wrong. He brought the battle home. There were times that he was so sweet and gentle and I was his lover and wife—others, he thought I was his foe and nothing more or less."

His heart was clenched with pity for this woman, and rage for that man. How could one be so cruel to a creature so gentle?

"Took me five years to realize that staying true to my vows would cost me my life. I lived with my father ever since."

"And your husband?"

"Oh, he attempted to retrieve me from time to time… it stopped when he met his end during one of vicious brawls in taverns."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

She waved her hand dismissively. "I feel no more grief for him."

* * *

Allie had always been fond of antiques. On her request, Klaus agreed to escort her to the Antique Shop. After all, perhaps he could sneak away and consult Iris on how to deal with this unexpected situation, although it meant that he had to tell Iris whom he was dealing with.

One thing that Klaus had forgotten to take into account was how _engaging_ Allie was. She had always been gifted in socializing and making people feel welcomed; she was an exceptional host. However, that also meant that it would be harder to slip away. Even with Mistel's presence, Allie always checked on his presence from time to time, engaging him in a brief conversation about the pieces they were looking at. Klaus could feel the inquiring gaze of the young man; it took everything he had to maintain his composure.

"Oh, look at this vase… the pattern…"

Another voice interrupted his line of thoughts. "Klaus?"

He held his breath. _That voice_.

Klaus turned around and Allie followed suit. Much to his horror, Raelyn was standing a few feet away from them, accompanied by Iris. She crunched her brows so severely together while her wine-colored eyes, usually gentle, glared at him intensely, with tears at the verge of bursting out. Her glare was not a heated fury; instead, it was freezing cold—the kind that could kill your cells in an instant. Fittingly, her glare sent chills down his spine; the coldest one he could remember. Apparently, he was wrong thinking that he would never feel this kind of chills anymore, with what he had seen and gone through. He saw her clenching her fist, unclenching it for a moment, then clenching it again until her knuckles turned white.

Without saying anything, she turned on her heels and dashed away. Klaus immediately gave chase. When he felt something tugging him, Klaus spared no thought and shook it off. When he glanced aside he realized it was Allie who intended to hold him back. Allie finally noticed his ring. Nevertheless, she gazed at him pleadingly, but he could care less; he dashed out from the Antique Shop, crying out her name desperately: "Raelyn!"

* * *

The shop became deathly quiet after the two of them left. Allie could feel the smoldering gaze of the shop proprietor, as well as the other young lady who looked so alike to him. The young lady made her way towards her casually, but elegantly.

"I don't know who you are, but if you think you can seduce Klaus, you cannot be further from the truth than you already are," she told her. "You don't know him very well, do you?"

"Perhaps I don't," Allie admitted. "But I know I had him wrapped in my fingers."

To her surprise, the blond young lady smiled elegantly, but also mocking in an equal measure. "Look at you, you used past tense to describe your so-called 'wrapping'."

"Besides, is this an acceptable behavior of someone in mourning?" Mistel pointed out. Before she could answer that young, but sharp-tongued man, he continued nonchalantly. "Nevertheless, you had some use to us in helping them, wittingly or not. If this kind of disruption could destroy their relationship, then they are never meant to be."

Iris folded her arms tightly, wrapping herself in the process. Her face looked forlorn. "That might be true," she said. "But, I cannot help worrying for Raelyn…"

* * *

_What will happen next?_

_Stay tuned to find out!_

_Thanks for reading, please rate and tell me what you think by reviewing! ^^_


	41. She Says: Make Me Your Woman

_fantasyanimegirl283: I cannot help myself with the sugar daddy jokes hahahaha and I'm glad to hear you like the Rex-Iris interactions. Who knows? I might bring more of them LOL. Hmm... will this lead to Klaus' pink heart event? You'll see soon enough. FYI, his purple and pink heart events are the ones that put the nail in the coffin for me to pick him as my husband in SOS... so I definitely won't go half-assed when I'm writing them. *wink*_

* * *

Raelyn could not help but keep thinking about the woman they met back in the Trade Depot. After her brief exchange with Klaus, she excused herself—all the time, not even giving her an acknowledging nod to her. It was not really that woman's dismissive behavior towards her that disturbed Raelyn; it was more how Klaus' reacted to her presence.

She suggested that they could part ways in town and Klaus could have some rest since it was not too dark yet, but he would have none of it. He held her hand throughout the way, but otherwise, he was silent—so different from the jovial mood he had when they walked back to town.

When they reached her doorstep, Klaus gestured for her to enter first. The pinkette took a step forward, but lingered and turned to face him. He was still there, watching her, just like the old times. Yet, his face looked so somber. Raelyn reached out to him and hugged him tightly, pressing her face against his broad chest. It took him a few moments to get over his initial shock and hugged her back, enveloping her in his arms.

"I… I don't know what happened, but don't be sad. It upsets me to see you so."

"Ah, I apologize. I did not intend to."

She shook her head. "Don't fret over it. Is there something—anything—that you want to tell me? Ought to tell me?"

He stared at her for a long time without saying anything. The look on his face, however, suggested to Raelyn that he was actually considering her question carefully. There _was_ something.

Finally, he reached out to her, touching her cheek. His hand was large enough to cover the entirety of her cheek; something that she found to be pleasing. "I'm very fortunate to have you by my side," he told her. "Very, very fortunate."

She wanted to believe him, but how could she when he looked so sad?

* * *

Iris opened a jar of cookies and offered it to Raelyn, but the young woman refused. "Allie? Never heard of that name before. Then again, I lost all contact with Klaus since he left—that's when he's around thirteen, I think. We only reestablished contact after he finished his apprenticeship."

Raelyn pouted. "There must be something with that woman."

"Why don't you just ask him?"

"I did! I asked him whether he has something he wants—or should—tell me, and he just said something else."

"He can be very evasive when he wants to, can't he? Try to be more direct this time."

"Like… 'what's the deal with that woman in black?' kind of direct?"

Iris smiled sweetly. "That's a start."

Raelyn studied Iris carefully. Iris was willowy and definitely beautiful; so was the woman from the previous day. She then looked at her own hands and squeezed her arms; she could feel her muscles tensing up. She was a scrawny girl, but growing up in a farm—then managing a farm of her own—has molded her body to be tough, not tender. Her hands were drier and coarser that she'd like, although she had worn gardening gloves to reduce the damage. She was not that tall, either; she could barely reach his chin even in her boots.

"What are you thinking, Raelyn?"

Raelyn shook her head, but still she could not shake off the thoughts of how she was so different from the women in Klaus' life, at least physically speaking.

"Instead of sulking here, why don't we take a walk? Maybe some fresh air will help."

"Yeah… let's do that," Raelyn agreed while she stood up. Iris smiled and linked their arms together.

When they reached the first floor, they heard some voices coming from the Antique Shop. From where they were, Raelyn could see Klaus' back profile.

"Klaus?"

He turned around, and Raelyn swore her heart skipped a beat when she finally learned whom his companion was. She clenched and unclenched her fingers, then clenching them again, trying to contain the sudden anger that welled up in her heart together with the tears in her eyes. She was so overcome by those emotions that she could not process anything to say. When simply looking at him was too overwhelming, Raelyn turned around and left the shop and began running across the town. She had nowhere specific in mind—just somewhere far away from Klaus and Allie.

She heard him calling out for her several times along the way, but she ignored him. She just ran, ran and ran until she reached the Trade Depot. It was near the closing time for the Trade Depot, so there were not many people around. There, Raelyn decided to stop and take a breather; there was no way Klaus was catching up to her, anyway.

But, she was dead wrong.

"Raelyn!"

_Crap._

Raelyn took off for another run again, but she failed to notice the incoming wagon before it was too late. And from all time, it was this exact moment when soreness began to invade her leg and her breath became short again as her body gradually losing the initial adrenaline rush.

_Oh no._

Just as she began to fear for her life, she felt someone literally sweep her off. She felt her legs off the ground for a few moments before her body began to fall back to the ground. She prepared herself for the crash, but there was almost none. When she opened her eyes, she realized that Klaus had pushed her off and then hugged her to reduce the impact.

She rose and blinked a few times, trying to process what had just transpired in less than a minute, but Klaus was quicker in the take. He sat up, and when Raelyn tried to get away he held her wrist and glared at her.

"Are you a fucking idiot?!"

Raelyn jaw hung open at the profanity Klaus hurled at her. It was not the first time she heard him curse, but definitely the first time it was aimed at her—although, in retrospect, she might have deserved it.

"What did you think you were doing, standing in front of a damn moving carriage like that?! You could have been hurt—or worse, killed!"

She could only cringe at his words and hung her head down. It reminded her of the first time he had scolded her. She was being reckless that time, too, but his scolding vastly different in terms of the amount of profanities he employed. In his defense, what happened back then and this time had a drastically mortality rate to it. If he hadn't stepped in, she could've been literally killed this time.

Ashe ran towards them with a pale face. "Oh my gosh! Are you two alright?!"

Klaus stood up and then helped Raelyn back on her feet. Raelyn dusted her skirt for a few times before facing the merchant.

"Uh… we're fine, Ms. Ashe. Sorry for running without looking around," Raelyn said.

"No, no, I should be sorry for not being more alert. I'm so glad you both are not injured."

Ashe bowed deeply and both Klaus and Raelyn returned the gesture. After she left, Klaus turned to face her. "Raelyn, are you going to tell me why are you running like that?"

Raelyn looked around. Thanks to the earlier incident, everyone was looking at them now. Her heart was apprehended by the fear and embarrassment of being a center of attention in public.

"Alright, if you would rather not speak of it, I see no reason pressing you about this issue," Klaus remarked coldly.

He turned to leave, but Raelyn—in another spur of impulse—reached for his hand and held him. "This is no place to talk about it," she said. "Let's… let's go to your house."

Klaus was surprised, but he agreed. They were silent the whole way to each other; the only words spoken was a curt greeting when they passed by people they knew—including Iris and Mistel.

He opened the door for her, and they headed inside together. However, Raelyn quickly made her way back to the door and turned the lock. She closed her eyes and recalled Iris' advice:

_Be more direct._

She was not sure whether what she had in mind would be the kind of direct Iris had meant, but if this was not direct, she didn't know what was. Raelyn took a deep breath, gathering her courage with it, and turned around to face Klaus who was already waiting for her to say something.

"Make me your woman."

There. She said it. She could feel heat flaring up on her cheeks, but she already said it. She saw Klaus' eyes widened in shock. "You don't understand what you're saying…"

"Stop treating me like a kid!" Raelyn snapped in annoyance. "I'm gonna show you I'm not one."

First, she took off the kerchief around her head as well as her loose braid, letting her hair loose in front of him for the first time. Then, it was her apron that got thrown to the floor. All the while, she studied his expression; his eyes widened, but that was all there was to it.

Next, she took off the upper part of her two-piece dress by pulling it over her head, revealing her white camisole and her nude bra straps. Klaus was still where he was, and she began to doubt herself.

_Does he really not want me in that way?_

She reached for the zipper of her skirt on her back; her hands were shaking. Before she could even reach the zipper, however, Klaus had quickly closed the distance between them in two large steps, took her arms and pinned them above her with one hand.

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

* * *

She woke up not knowing the time, but the other side of the bed was empty. She looked at the mess on the floor thanks to the carelessly thrown clothes here and there. Her heart began to beat rapidly when she recalled what had just happened.

"Do you want some tea?" Klaus voice came from the kitchen.

"Tea… sounds good," she replied hesitantly.

Raelyn peeked behind comforter only to see her own naked body. When reality began to sink in, especially on how she had… behaved the last few hours, she quickly made a cocoon out of herself and the comforter in shame and put herself at the corner of the bed.

_What the hell did I do?! Noooooooooo_

She was still in her self-made cocoon when Klaus came back with two cups of freshly brewed tea. Raelyn head poked out from the cocoon to see his amused face. He was wearing his pants, but nothing to cover his upper body—his tattoos and scars were all there for her to see.

"What's with the cocoon, love? Is there anything else I have not seen?"

The pinkette ducked down to hide her red face. "You must think of me as some sort of loose women, throwing myself at you like that!"

She felt Klaus climbed back up to the bed and sit next to her. "Hardly. That was… your first time, right?"

Her head poked back out and she looked at him. "How did you—"

He simply nodded at a direction, prompting her to avert her eyes following him. It was then she saw his answer—the fresh bloodstain on his sheet.

"Ah…"

"I have to admit that I find your assertiveness to be… surprising—and refreshing"

"You're just trying to sweet-talk me right now."

Klaus smiled as he offered her a cup of tea. She looked at him for a few moments before releasing herself from her cocoon, took the cup, and settled herself next to him. "I must admit, I'm glad that I'm your first."

"Huh?"

"You've been with Ibuki for quite some time, so naturally I'd assume you've gone through… several things with him."

"Don't tell me you thought I—wait, you fantasized about me?"

Klaus shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm a healthy man. Those kinds of thoughts happen from time to time without my being able to control it."

"If you put it that way…" she trailed off as she took a sip from her tea. It was made the way she liked it. "So, am I right to assume that I'm not your first?"

"You're right."

His answer made her heart fell heavy for a moment, but then again, Klaus was much older than her. With that good look and the kind of life he led before this, surely he had done this before.

"…with Allie?"

She glanced at the corner of her eyes to see his reaction. He held his breath for a moment, but smiled and wrapped his arm around her to pull her closer. "Is that what all is this about? Allie?"

"I saw the way you looked at her that day. It was… different. The women in your lives, the ones I know about… they're so graceful and beautiful. I am none of them. You… you look so good with that woman, too."

"Let's answer your question first, shall we? Allie's father was my first mentor, who then introduced me to a perfumer who made me his apprentice. As for her… I did have feelings for her back then, but she left when she found out about my involvement with gangs."

"So… not her?"

"No, not her," he assured her. "Now, move on to your worries. First and foremost, you are correct when you said you're different from the women in my life. But, I must say that I disagree with your evaluation about how I look good with other women. Rather, no matter how things might seem to be to a third party, don't you agree that the most important factor in a relationship is the feelings of the two people involved in it? I love you for who you are, and I shall choose no other—even when given the choice."

Part of her worries allleviated, Raelyn began to relax and leaned on his shoulder. "You're so mature… then again, maybe that comes with age."

To her surprise, he laughed. "You're incorrect again. I'm not nearly as mature or secure as you think I am. I lose control of myself from time to time… truth to be told, at times, I'm worried about your popularity among men."

"Huh? I am?"

"You don't realize it?" Klaus looked genuinely surprised. "Then, I shouldn't have mentioned it… but since we're already on it… yes, you are. Remember the first time you modelled for Iris? Those men were crowding around you like bees to a flower. I had other examples, but I think that should suffice for now."

"Okay… what of it?"

"I couldn't help but to think that one day you might leave me for a younger man."

"What?! Ridiculous!"

Klaus chuckled. "Thank you, that really relieves me," he said. "That being said, I hope from this time on you will also believe that I love you enough that the thought of leaving you for a woman who quote-unquote looks better with me is as ridiculous as my thoughts of you leaving for a younger man."

His words gave her heart the warm and fuzzy feeling, and more importantly, one of security. "Thank you."

"Next time, let's discuss our worries more openly to one another, yes?"

Raelyn nodded in agreement.

"After all, we've gotten to see all of each other."

She elbowed him lightly on his ribs. "That joke is uncalled for."

He laughed as he pulled her closed and kissed the crown of her head. "It's not a joke. It's the truth, love."

* * *

Raelyn was at the Piedmont area the next time she saw Allie. When the two of them acknowledged each other, no one made a move until Allie broke the silence.

"So… are you Klaus' lover? Do you know who he really is?"

"In a wolf pack, female wolves fought for the right to mate with the alpha—be the alpha female. No other females can mate with the alpha…"

"What—"

Raelyn looked at her straight in her eyes. "The Alpha is mine, and I'm definitely not keen to share."

* * *

_Stay tuned for the next chapter!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review!_

**_A/N: Whew. This chapter is legit borderline M-rated LOL, although then again, Klaus' in-game convo suggested that his not all innocent and what when it comes to these things. Should I really write the M-rated part? What do you guys think? Hmmm_**


	42. He Says: I Know

_This time it will be a short chapter, but I hope you guy will enjoy it still!_

* * *

It was true when people said good times flew by so quickly. When she showed up in his house—he had given her a key to his house as a part of her birthday present—and cooked a scrumptious dinner for his birthday, he knew that Spring was heading towards its end.

But, that was not all.

After they cleaned up the dinner and they simply cuddled in the sofa, she took out a letter from her pocket. "From my cousin."

"You want me to read it?"

She nodded.

Klaus complied and unfolded the letter.

_Dear Lynn,_

_I'm happy to hear that things have been going well in your life. I really hope things would stay that way or even better for you._

_Lynn, do you remember the man I told you about? He proposed to me a few days ago; went to my house and talked to my dad, too. We are planning to hold the wedding in Summer in Echo Town. Actually, I wanted to ask you to be one of my bridesmaids, but I know how demanding running a farm can be… but can you at least make it to the wedding itself? I would really love to introduce you to him in person. He is a businessman now, but he comes from a farming family, too. I'm sure the two of you can chat about a lot of things—and I hope you will bring your gentleman along. I'm wondering whether he lives up to the stories you told me._

_Enclosed is two tickets for both of you, so you don't have any excuses._

_With love,_

_Ana_

"Ana?"

"She's my cousin. We grew up together, we're practically sisters," Raelyn replied.

"How about the farm?" he asked. "It seems like this is going to be a rather long trip."

"I… I asked Ibuki to look after the livestock," she replied, rather uneasily. "Can't really ask the others now, can I?"

He nodded understandingly. "He's your next-door neighbor, after all."

"So… what do you think?"

She was looking at him with earnest eyes. For a moment, he didn't really understand what was the big deal about this, but then he reread the letter and found out that he was also included in the package.

"Ah, are you asking whether I want to go?"

She nodded. "You don't have to if you don't wanna," she assured him quickly.

Despite her words, her face told him a different story. It was very easy to tell how close Raelyn was to her family; many of their conversations somehow found its way to the topic about her family. Klaus enjoyed the stories, but with it came the trepidation of whether they could accept him, especially if they learned about his past.

Was he ready to meet her family?

* * *

Iris listened to him as she arranged the flowers in a vase. "It would be very rude not to attend, especially if the bride has enclosed the ticket for you, too."

"I know…" he mused. "But going there means I have to meet her parents, right?"

"That will eventually happen if you are serious with her."

"I know…" he said again.

"Are you?"

He knew it was meant to be a rhetorical question, but Klaus could not help but still feel slightly annoyed. "Seriously, Iris?"

The slender blonde shifted one of the flowers slightly, putting it in an angle. "The way I see it, Klaus, is that you're chickening out at the prospect of meeting her parents."

"And why wouldn't I be? I'm almost old enough to be her father myself, and there's my past—"

"Too old… too young… they're all adjective in relative to one another. There's no set guideline on age gap between any couple now, is there? I can't believe you're still fretting about that now," Iris scolded him gently, but firmly. "As for your past, it is definitely something that many parents would balk at, but… from what Rex told me, you might not need to worry."

"Rex? You've been staying in touch with Rex?"

Klaus glanced at the table nearby; there was a few sheets of used wrapping paper, a slightly messy ribbon, and a small card. He took the card and read the message; the message was short and to the point, containing only two words: "Found you." It was signed off by the name: "Rexton Forrester". Klaus smirked, waving the card at Iris. "Oooh… what is this?"

"A card." She walked towards him and snatched the card away. "We have a common interest in a certain couple. Enough reason for a correspondence."

"I don't know, Iris, but I don't think sending a flower to a woman is a correspondence, strictly speaking… and what do we have there—isn't this a bit early for irises? Purple irises… wisdom, compliments, and eloquence. This guy knows his flowers."

"Shut up, Klaus," Iris retorted with blushing cheeks. "I don't suppose he's aware of the symbolism of flowers."

Klaus shrugged. "At the very least, he makes the effort of finding purple irises—your flower in your favorite color. That counts for something."

Iris sighed heavily. "Look, we're not talking about me here. You haven't answered my question, Klaus… are you going to the wedding?"

* * *

_Will Klaus take that step forward?_

_Stay tuned to find out!_

_Thanks for reading, please rate and review! ^^_


	43. She Says: I Thought You Would Understand

_Hey everyone, these few next chapters will have guest apperance of my very first OC, Reine Kreiss (now Forrester) and her sister Gwen Kreiss (now Rosencrantz), and of course some of our beloved characters from ANB! Hope you guys will enjoy this!_

* * *

Raelyn gazed at the view laid out before her. The grass, the dirt road… she took a deep breath—yes, this was the corner of her childhood. Back then, she would never have guessed that the world could be wider than this; but, now that she knew better, she could not be happier now that she came back. She put her luggage down and stretched her back, the satisfying cracking sound when she did that told her enough of how long the journey was. It was all worth it, though.

"Lynn!"

Her face brightened up and she dashed forward to hug Rex. "Rex!"

Her brother warmly hugged her, messed with her hair a bit, before looking up to her companion. "Klaus, you made it, too!"

Klaus picked up the luggage Raelyn left on the ground and smiled. "I don't think I'm the person you're waiting for the most."

There was a beat—almost unnoticeable—of silence before Rex grinned, rather nervously in Raelyn's opinion, and said: "Of course, I miss my baby sister more than I miss you. Otherwise, you're not her sugar daddy but mine!"

Raelyn struck Rex's rib with her elbow. "Stop with the sugar daddy jokes!"

Meanwhile, Klaus laughed easily. "You _do_ have the taste for older people, I see."

Rex joined the laughter. "I guess it runs in the family."

This time, the veiled suggestion did not miss Raelyn. She had never heard of Rex dating, or at least seeing, anyone—but why the reference to his love life? And why it was Klaus, from all people, who made such reference, when she had no idea about it? Raelyn turned around and looked at the two men. "Is there anything you guys wanna tell me?"

"Tell you what, Raelyn?" Klaus asked back good-naturedly. "This town smells fresh and relaxing, that's one."

"Smell? Are you really talking about how this town smells? Gosh, you're just like her!"

"I'm a perfumer. Naturally, my nose is my sharpest sense."

The conversation then somehow turned into Klaus' most recent work. It just so happened that Klaus received a large commission for his crafts, and Rex was happy to know all about it. Raelyn knew that they were just trying to avoid her question, which slightly irked her—but she knew she would know whatever they were hiding from her sooner or later.

After Klaus checked in to the inn and dropped his luggage there, the three of them headed to the farmhouse. Along the way, Raelyn was filled with a mixture of excitement, anticipation, as well as nervousness. She was thrilled to go home, but she couldn't deny that she was rather worried about how the rest of her family would react towards Klaus. Nate wouldn't be likely to give Klaus a hard time if Klaus could get along well with both his siblings, and her mother was rather easy-going in terms of her social sphere, but her father… he could be something else.

Well, she was going to know how it went soon enough.

* * *

Everyone was out to the farm when they arrived. Her parents were tending to the animals, while Nate was watering the sprouts on their field. Nevertheless, when they noticed their arrival, the three of them dropped whatever they were doing and headed for where they were.

"Lynn!" her mother called. She was the first to arrive, hugging her tightly. Her gaze then fell towards Klaus; she studied him for a moment before extending her hand and smiled. "You must be Klaus."

Klaus took her mother's hand. "Pleased to be your acquaintance, Mrs. Forrester."

"Shush, Reine is fine!" she told him. She then introduced Klaus to the two men standing to her sides. "I heard you've met Rex, this is my eldest and his twin, Nate, and this is my husband, Neil."

Neil and Nate each shook Klaus' hand in silence, something that was totally expected from them. Raelyn noticed that her father did not let his eyes wander away too far from Klaus, however, and if Klaus felt the intensity of that gaze, he seemed to bear it just fine for the time being.

"Come on in and have some tea," Reine said, gesturing towards the house.

They all settled down around the dining table. Reine and Raelyn headed towards the kitchen to prepare the tea. Behind her back, Raelyn could hear Rex's voice asking some superficial, common questions to Klaus, which was answered in good nature by the raven-haired man. Raelyn knew that it was Rex's attempt to get Nate and Neil talking to Klaus—unless you really knew the two of them personally, their gaze could be very intimidating—but since Raelyn only heard Rex and Klaus' voices so far, the strategy seemed to be not very effective.

"He has kind eyes," Reine told her as they waited for the water. "I can understand why you chose to endure and wait for him."

Raelyn knew her mother always assessed someone from the 'feel' of their eyes. Seeing that Reine seemed to like Klaus' eyes relieved her. Nevertheless, Raelyn knew that it was hardly something to be celebrated about. "You don't really know him yet, Mom."

"True, which is why I plan to get to know him before Ana's wedding."

Reine took off the small tower she had been wearing around her neck and tucked it into her pocket. Just as they were about to put the cups and teapot on the tray, Raelyn heard Klaus' voice, loud and clear:

"Queen…?"

Raelyn swore her heart skipped a beat. The cup Reine was holding fell onto the floor, shattering to pieces. A moment later Raelyn heard the harsh sound of the chair being dragged and her father finally broke his silence:

"Who the hell are you?!"

* * *

Raelyn and Reine turned around to find Neil grabbing Klaus by his collar, pulling him up from his chair. Rex and Nate held Neil's arm to prevent him from doing anything harsher than grabbing Klaus' collar. From the corner of her eyes, Raelyn saw her mother touched the back of her neck. Raelyn was familiar with what was etched there; a small, golden tattoo of a crown. It was much like Klaus' own wolf tattoo; the crown tattoo served as her signature as what they called the 'Queen'—or so she heard.

"Dad!" Raelyn called out, rushing towards the dining room. "I can explain!"

"The only way he knew that name is by being in that world!" Neil retorted. He turned back to face Klaus and jerked him up more. "I swore if you tried to take advantage of my daughter—"

"DAD!"

Raelyn's yell forced Neil to turn his attention back at her. "I know who he is," she told him. "I know he was just like Mom."

"Are you telling me you knowingly bring an ex-gangster into this house?" Neil asked. "Are you telling me you want to spend your life with an ex-gangster?"

Raelyn couldn't believe her father's reaction. She glared at him, tears threatening to burst out at any moment. "Yes. And I thought you, from all people, would be able to understand."

She took a deep breath and did the one thing she thought made most sense at that moment: she ran.

* * *

Before she knew it, her legs brought her to the waterfall. She panted and decided to take a breather here. She had just caught her breath when she heard footsteps of someone else and smelled the scent of her father.

"Lynn."

She turned to find Neil, out of breath, slowly approaching her. "Can I sit next to you?"

Raelyn folded her legs and hugged them close, but did nothing to prevent Neil from sitting next to her. They sat on the edge of the cliff, facing the raging waterfall. "How did you find out?" he asked carefully.

"He told me."

Neil gave her a 'I-don't-believe-you' side glance, and after some seconds of resisting, Raelyn gave up: "We kinda ran into a situation—everything ended up well, though," she added quickly.

"Before or after you date him?"

"Before. He told me that his past was one of the reasons why he was reluctant to date me."

"As he should be."

"Dad!"

"I know how dangerous it is to be involved with an ex-gangster, sweetheart," Neil interjected her calmly. "Even after you stop being one, from time to time, the remnants of that life will come back and haunt you, especially if you had gone as far as your mother. It'll be hard on him—and whoever chooses to stay by his side. As your family grows, the fear will just grow—because the more people you care for. Even now, there are nights I couldn't sleep thinking what if I can't protect your mother, Nate, Rex or you from her past. From all my children, I don't want you to live in that kind of fear the most."

"Because I'm a girl?"

"Because you're my precious baby girl. You always will be."

Raelyn couldn't deny the warmth that seeped into her heart when she heard the old nickname her father used to call her by. She thought it would get old, especially after her father didn't really use as she grew up it in favor of 'Lynn' just like the rest of her family, but hearing it after long felt good.

"Still… I thought you could see it from my perspective," she confessed.

"The thrill of being with a bad boy? It will get old—even dangerous later on."

"Goddess, Klaus, bad boy?" Raelyn forced herself not to laugh. "You saw him, I'd never guessed he's an ex-gangster until he told me! I… I fell for him before I knew, and after I knew… my feelings don't change."

"Feelings _will_ change," Neil insisted. "The only way to stay is—"

"To choose to love, I remember."

Neil nodded. "So, are you really telling me you choose him?"

Raelyn looked at her father and nodded. They just looked at each other, Raelyn never wavering in her resolve, until Neil sighed and scratched his head. "You're just as stubborn as your mom."

She smiled triumphantly. "I know you would understand, Dad."

"Oh, don't think this is over for him, yet," Neil told her. "You're so wrong to think so, sweetheart."

* * *

_Yes, Reine is the Queen: the legendary gangster who taught Klaus how to fight._

_Seems like Klaus and Raelyn are more related than they think they are... what a small world._

_What is Neil planning to do to Klaus?_

_Stay tuned to find out!_

_Thanks for reading! Please rate and review ^^_


End file.
